Living in a World of Fiction
by TheDomdotCom
Summary: Dominic always dreamed about what he would do if he was in The Walking Dead, but he got a little more than he'd hoped after finding himself in post-apocalyptic Georgia. With the knowledge of the game in mind, he set out to save anyone that he could. However, in a world where the dead roam the streets, no one is safe for long.
1. A New Day

**SPOILER WARNING: THIS STORY WILL INVOLVE SPOILERS FOR WALKING DEAD SEASON 1 AND 2, WALKING DEAD: MICHONNE, THE TV SHOW, AND THE COMICS.**

 **A/N: I am currently working on remastering past chapters for the story, so if things may appear differently here than other chapters, that is the reason why. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, by the time this goes up, most of Season 1's remastering will be finished.**

* * *

 **Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 1 - Displaced**

 **Chapter 1: A New Day**

* * *

 **July 18, 2015**

"Nice hat."

Clementine looked over blankly at the boy she had only just met, silently mulling over the events that had transpired over the past couple of weeks in her mind, before finally replying in a half-sigh.

"Yeah. Thanks."

The scene faded to black as Clementine stared down at little AJ in her arms, leaving a rather depressed Dominic staring blankly at his computer screen. Every orifice of his heart felt completely drained from the rollercoaster of emotions he had just endured. This was his first time playing through the Walking Dead, and he found himself hooked the moment he started the game as Lee a mere twelve or thirteen hours prior. He didn't expect to be playing for so long, but the sheer brilliance of the game kept him going through the night, and the horrific events scarred him for life. He couldn't believe his eyes. First, he had to watch as Clementine put down Lee, possibly one of his favorite characters of all time, and now, Kenny. Having to kill the Floridian left him speechless, and on the verge of tears. Thinking back to that moment, he wasn't sure whether he had made the right decision for Clementine to forgive Jane and go back to Howe's. But, he knew that Kenny had gone off the deep end, and he couldn't let him kill Jane, even _if_ she did hide the baby from them.

He took off his glasses before rubbing his eyes gingerly, the credits rolling by before returning to the main menu as he slipped them back on. His eyes were half-open, as if closing by their own accord, as he closed the game and switched off his computer. He stretched his muscles before heading for bed, yawning as his mind wandered. He's had enough of zombies and feelings for one night. He slumped into in bed with a thump, staring up at the ceiling through his thin-rimmed, black glasses. The memories of Clementine's adventures forced him to have a minor case of insomnia as the events played back in his head like a drawn-out movie, not to mention the splotches of sunlight filtering through the curtains just above him. After what feeling like hours had passed, he fell into a strange, deep sleep, dead to the world around him.

* * *

Dominic groaned as a peculiar, wretched smell brought him out of his slumber. He felt his back scorching in pain as his senses slowly returned to him, making him quickly jump up and open his eyes, only to be met with the blinding sun. Shielding his foggy vision from the glare, he took in his surroundings, only to see a blurry blue sky and a long stretch of road ahead of him. He blinked rapidly, shaking off his dizziness before looking behind him. The blurry shape of a police cruiser beneath him met his gaze.

 _What the hell?_

Why was he sleeping on top of a police car? That sentence alone was enough to baffle him. His glasses sat next to him on the hood of the car, which he instantly picked up and put on. He scanned his surroundings carefully, a deserted street lay in front of him. Litter scattered the pavement, and abandoned cars stretched the road as far as Dominic could see through the piercing sun. On the other side of the road, he could see evidence of ransacking and personal belongings hastily packed up and left abandoned in the front yards. Windows were broken, doors left ajar, and blood left in messy puddles along the sidewalk. He glanced toward the road itself as a wrinkled, barely legible MISSING poster flew between the wheels, and beyond the back of the cruiser. Some sort of crisis had occurred, that was the only explanation that he could come up with. _Hurricane? No. That wouldn't explain the blood. Holy shit, that looks fresh…_

"Where the hell am I?" He croaked as the blistering heat of the sun continued to beat down on him, only adding to the wretched smell of blood and whatever the hell else was mixing in with it. _Jesus,_ _it's got to be like ninety degrees._ He mused. _It's_ _ **never**_ _been this hot since I've moved to Ohio. Feels more like…_ His thoughts trailed off as he noticed the license plate of the car parked in front of the cruiser. _**Georgia.**_

" _What the_ _ **fuck**_?" Dominic's body shook as fear took over, pulling himself off of the cruiser, hissing with pain as the super-heated concrete beneath him burned his bare feet before he examined the other cars around the road, including the cruiser itself. Georgia, all of them. _What? How? I can't-_ He panicked, reaching into the pockets of his black pajama pants for his cellphone, only to come up empty handed. _No no no no! This can't be happening. Goddamn it!_ His breathing grew shallower with each passing second, every fibre of his being telling him that none of this made any sense. Finding yourself sleeping on the top of a police car, almost eight hundred miles away from home… His head was spinning, it was as if he was placed into some sort of fucked up version of The Hangover. _This has to be a dream, right? How did I get here? None of this is adding up!_

He got his answer when, well, less of an answer, and more of an inhuman moan, almost as if someone was gurgling some sort of thick liquid, had reached his ears from behind him. He knew the sound all too well.

Zombies.

With his heart racing, he turned to see where the moaning was coming from. And there it was, a zombie. A motherfucking _zombie_. It's eyes were a freaky white; the skin almost alien grey, with rotten, crimson red bite marks lining its body under the sunlight. The smell was enough to make Dominic want to hurl, reeking with the smell of molded urine and decayed flesh. Raw meat like an aroma fit for the mentally insane. It was absolutely hideous, far worse than anything he could've imagined. The Walking Dead couldn't have prepared him for the real thing.

" _H-hey_ **there** , _um_ … yeah, I'll, uh, I'll be going now," He stammered out to the zombie, backing away as it began to growl at him. He yelped at the noise, tripping and falling onto the burning asphalt. His heart raced faster, hardly feeling the pain from the fall as adrenaline took over. He was **not** about to die to a _fucking_ **zombie**.

" _Please be a dream,_ _ **please**_ _be a dream…_ " he pleaded as he struggled to get back onto his feet and run away from the decaying monster. As soon as he found his footing, he booked it, breathing heavily as the world became a blur around him. Tears began to burn his eyes, each house like waves of unnoticable scenery as yard after yard passed by on both sides. As he sprinted down the road, another two zombies stumbled in his direction, as if coming out of the woodwork of the abandoned residences. The sight of them stopped him in his tracks. _Think… Think…!_ He turned around, a yard enclosed behind a large brown gate catching his attention. Tearing across the street, he pulled on the gate to no avail, whoever lived here had locked it. As the growls drew closer, he hopped onto the fence, struggling to climb over. He turned back just in time to see the zombies closing in, stepping off of the pavement and clawing for him. Giving one hard jerk, he swung his legs over the gate, falling hard onto the rough concrete within, and scraping his knee in the process. Luckily the gate seemed to be pretty solid, so at least he was safe from the zombies for the time being, as they continued to growl at him and push against the gate with all of their might, with nowhere near enough strength to force their way through.

He sighed with relief and turned around to go deeper into the backyard. The further he ventured down the concrete path though, the more he recognized where he was. To his right was a large, beige garage, and to his left, a two-story house sat, with a porch leading up to a glass sliding door. Then there was the fence in the back, and finally… the treehouse. The treehouse especially caught his attention. _It can't be. This is Clementine's backyard. From the_ _ **game**_ _. I've_ _ **GOT**_ _to be fucking dreaming._ He fell to the ground, with a rather painful thud, as it all sunk in. Somehow, he had been transported into the world of The Walking Dead. And the worst part is, he had no idea how he got there, or if he could even get back.

He couldn't help but to slap himself on the spot.

"Wake up! Wake up! _Wake_ _**up**_!" He shouted, a tear dripping off his cheek as a red handprint slowly materialized over the wetted skin. Gunshots in the distance brought him out of his stupor however, forcing him back to his feet. The thought of some asshole out there killing people had him glued to the spot. He definitely didn't want to become the next victim on the list.

" **HELP!** " A voice called from beyond the fence across the yard from him, coming from the forest behind Clementine's home, and making Dominic pause with his palm an inch from his face, ready for another wake up call. _Oh my god…_ He ran toward the fence, climbing and peering over it to see a dark-skinned man with a blue shirt limping towards the fence, growls and snarls following his escape.

As Dominic dropped back to the ground, he hit himself again, but he was still here. And now, his face was starting to hurt like hell. Looking down at the ground, he quickly considered what could be in store.

Well, he never saw himself being able to survive a zombie apocalypse, if one ever occurred. He knew that he was too weak, and he loved to eat. No doubt having a slight belly would make living off canned beans and soups difficult for him. So, he found himself feeling like curling up into a ball and dying where he laid, knowing well enough that either way he would end up dead anyway.

" **HELP!** " The voice that obviously belonged to none other than Lee Everett cried again, forcing Dominic's eyes open. He couldn't miss this opportunity, no matter how much he wanted to give up right then and there. This was his chance to set things straight. Without a second thought, he sprung to his feet and raced to the fence. With one last burst of energy, he leaped, grabbing a hold of the fence and pulling himself onto the ledge before peering over to see Lee limping towards him, his eyes locking with Dominic's. The young man reached out for Lee.

"Grab my hand!" He shouted to the older man. "I'll pull you over the fence!"

Lee did as he was told, and grabbed the younger man's hand, who, with a noticeable grunt, struggled to pull him onto the fence. In sync, they turned around and hopped off into the backyard. Lee nearly doubled over in pain as the wounds he received from the car crash shot up his leg.

He spent several seconds trying to catch his breath before turning to the younger man that saved his life, and simply said "Thanks."

"No problem," the boy muttered in awe. He sounded much younger than he looked, which forced Lee take a good look at his savior. Well, he certainly looked young, at least high school age. Short hair, which at that moment, was ruffled in different spots. A pair of glasses sat on his slightly large nose, and his blue eyes seem to smile back at him. The most peculiar thing about him was his clothes. He wore a shrinking black T-Shirt, with what looked liked an old British Police Box on it. Lee wasn't exactly a TV show extraordinaire, but he would be an idiot if he didn't recognize the phone booth. Then there was his pants, which were actually pajamas, and on top of that, he was barefoot. The kid looked like he literally just got out of bed.

"Did I interrupt your nap?" Lee asked, probing the boy for information. After all, maybe the kid lived here, so if he had anything in his house to help with Lee's leg, it was better to get on the kid's good side.

"What?" The kid stared at him incredulously for a second before looking down at his clothes. It finally clicked in his mind, making him laugh uncontrollably. "Oh, yeah. Pajamas. Right. Sorry, it's been a really weird day. Let's just say, I was asleep when all of this began."

"Obviously," Lee deadpanned, now even more curious about the stranger in front of him. "What's your name, kid?"

"Dominic," He instantly replied, shrugging his shoulders. "What's yours?" The question felt ridiculous, like asking sand for a glass of water.

"My name's Lee," The man spoke in his deep, articulate voice. His right eyebrow raised as he examined Dominic. "And judging by your accent, you aren't from around here, are you?"

"Hah. No. Born in Texas actually. But I've lived in Ohio for a few months now. Now... well, I'm down here in Georgia." Something about the way he said that made Lee raise an eyebrow. At least he figured out whether or not the kid lived in the house they found themselves at, but why was this kid so far from home, in his pajamas no less? It didn't make any sense. Perhaps a vacation?

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Lee asked instead, glancing around at his surroundings. "People have been trying to eat me. And this police officer earlier was… just dead. But he came back and tried to bite me. Have you ever seen such a thing?"

Dominic froze slightly, trying to think of what to say that wouldn't give him away. _Yup_. He's here. If he **really** was in the game now, he shouldn't go around publicising that he didn't belong there. Even if he did want to tell Lee what comes next.

"Looks like zombies," he said matter-of-factly, shrugging. "You know. Like from the video games." Dominic looked up at Lee, as if he half-expected him to agree excitedly towards his brilliant suggestion.

Lee's eyebrows shot up, not quite sure what the boy was talking about before turning back towards house. "This house belong to a relative of yours then?"

"No," Dominic replied, shrugging as he took in the large home alongside his hero. "Got trapped back here when some of those things started chasing me in the street."

Lee nodded his understanding before narrowing his eyes, looking for any sign of life within the abode. He found none. "Well, let's see if anyone's home who can help, then."

"Right."

They made their way up the steps of the porch, Lee knocking on the glass sliding door, which appeared to lead into the living room of the house. It looked empty, but he decided to knock on the glass anyway. Common courtesy was a staple of the South, and just because some strange things were happening around them, didn't mean that hospitality should disappear.

"Hello? Anybody home? We need a little help," Lee shouted through the looking glass, squinting his eyes to make out any figures in the darkness within the home.

No answer. Not even a hint of movement inside.

"Try the door," Dominic added from over Lee's shoulder before glancing behind them and checking for walkers that might be trying to claw their way into the backyard. He didn't want to be outside any longer than he had to.

Lee looked back at the younger man, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea? I don't exactly want to be shot today."

"If anyone **is** in there, they could use our help," Dominic reasoned, his mind jumping to Clementine. He hadn't seen her enter or leave the area since he came into the backyard. Perhaps she was still in the treehouse, but they would need that radio to contact her.

"Alright, alright," Lee sighed, trying the door. It was stuck at first, but he was able force it open with a pull. One last time before entering, he yelled "We're coming in. Don't shoot, okay?"

They cautiously entered the house one step at a time, Lee gasping as pain shot up his leg. "Ahh, shit," he muttered under his breath. "Hello? We're not intruders… or one of **them**."

Dominic gazed around the room, noticing the dried blood on the floor, whispering to Lee, "Jesus, it's like a murder scene in here." He knew full well that there was going to be blood in the kitchen, but the eerie feeling of seeing it in real life sent shivers down his spine. His eyes darted across the room, looking for any sign of the walker that was supposed to be here. Beyond the blood, there were no signs it was ever in the house, which forced a frown to purse on his lips.

"Take a look around, see if you can find anything useful," Lee replied, heading towards the phone on the table, which continued to beep as several voice messages were left behind on it, between the kitchen and the stairs at the other side of the living room.

Dominic felt a tear well up in his eyes as he anticipated the voicemails Lee was about to start. He slipped around the puddle in between the island and the wall of the kitchen, a look of disgust on his face, before rummaging through the kitchen drawers, looking for anything useful while trying to ignore the messages that began to play on the answering machine.

" _Three new messages_ ," The answering machine began in it's signature monotone voice, echoing into the room before reaching his ears. " _Message one. Left at 5:43 PM_."

He braced himself to hear Clementine's mother on the answering machine, half wanting to put his hands over his ears to prevent the pain it would bring, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't let all of the emotions of his time playing The Walking Dead get to him. He was **living** it now, and that meant he had to be strong, at any cost.

" _Hey, Sandra, this is Diana. We're still in Savannah. Ed had a little 'incident' with some crazy guy near the hotel, so we had to get him back to the ER and have it checked out. Anyway, he's not feeling well enough to drive back tonight, so we're staying an extra day. Thanks so much for looking after Clementine, and I promise we'll be back in time before your spring break_!"

Dominic continued to rummage through the kitchen, finding a few things here and there, pocketing the walkie-talkie from the drawer to the left of the oven, since that would be his lifeline to Clementine later on. He tried to ignore the message, but the imagery it created in his mind was enough to force a grimace to twitch across his face. A walker, not yet known by the world, taking a bite out of Clementine's father. Her mother, horrified. A crowd getting involved, pulling the 'crazy man' away from her father. And finally, the rush to the hospital, only for the father to die, and come back to life as the very thing that bit him.

" _Message two. Left at 11:19 PM_."

" _Oh my God, finally! I don't know if you've tried to reach us; all the calls are getting dropped. They're not letting us leave and aren't telling us anything about Atlanta. Please, please, just leave the city and take Clementine with you back to Marietta! I - I've got to get back to the hospital. Please let me know that you're safe."_

He sniffled, trying to keep the waterworks from coming as he is almost blinded by the tears welling up in his eyes. He continued to rummage through the drawers, trying his best to block out the crying voice on the other end of the phone. Clementine was his favorite character from The Walking Dead, hands down, and he always wanted to protect her from the horrors that she would experience. He knew just how much learning the true fate of her parents will devastate her in the future.

" _Message three. Left at 6:51 AM_."

" _Clementine? Baby, if you can hear this, call the police. That's 911. We love you… we love you… we love y-_ "

The message ended abruptly, leaving Dominic to quickly wipe his face and force himself to stare at the now hazy drawer. Dead silence filled the room as he sniffed, trying to cover up any hint he felt anything from the recording.

"That was a bit painful to listen to," he croaked out, breaking the silence. He turned to look at Lee, who was staring at him with an empathetic look on his face. With a sigh, he slipped around the pool of blood and entered the kitchen.

After a brief pause, Lee asked "How old are you anyway, kid?", trying to figure out just who the enigmatic boy in front of him was. Dominic stared down at the drawer before closing it with a slam.

"Nineteen," Dominic gave bluntly, not really wanting to talk about his age to someone who could easily be around his father's age.

"I see."

" _Daddy?_ " A little voice crackled from the radio in Dominic's pocket. Lee's eyes fell to the walkie-talkie bulging out of Dominic's back pocket, where the voice had come from. Dominic reached and pulled the radio out, looking over at Lee before walking over to the sliding door.

After taking a deep breath, he held down the transmit button. "Hello?"

" _You need to be quiet._ " The voice replied in a hissed whisper, making both men exchange wide-eyed glances.

"Who is this?" He rolled his eyes at his question. It felt absurd to pretend that he didn't know her.

" _I'm Clementine. This is my house,_ " she answered. Her voice sounded exactly like it did in the game, which freaked Dominic out a little. Lee's was actually a little bit deeper than it was in the game, now that he thought about it. _I guess not everything can be spot on_.

His lips perked up into a small smile, "Hello, Clementine. I'm Dominic."

" _You're not my daddy,_ " came the reply, making Dominic snicker under his breath.

"No, I'm not," he laughed at the thought. Being a father felt ludicrous, no matter how old he got. "Although I am here with a friend; his name's Lee."

" _I heard you two talking outside,_ " she mumbled.

Dominic turned back towards Lee, asking Clementine the next absurd question on this list, "so… uh, how old are you anyway?"

" _Eight._ "

"And you're all alone?" He continued, the absurdity slowly reaching maximum absurdness.

" _Yes, I don't know where anybody is,_ " she mumbled softly before asking her own question. " _How old are you?_ "

"I'm nineteen. And Lee here, he's… uh..." Dominic glanced up at Lee, hoping he would answer for him.

"I'm, uh, I'm thirty-seven," he added after taking the radio from the boy.

" _Okay,_ " She mumbled, her tone sounding fearful when she realized someone else was on the radio.

"Where are your parents?" Lee asked, looking around the living room before heading back into the kitchen. Dominic watched him for a moment before following him, his eyes glancing around the room for any sign of life, once again. Still no sign of Sandra. Where was the undead bitch hiding?

" _They took a trip and left me with Sandra. They're in Savannah, I think. Where the boats are._ "

"Are you safe?" Lee added, looking out the window above the sink. Dominic decided to continue rummaging through the kitchen, hoping to find something, a weapon of some sort, awaiting his next cue, but the only thing he could find was a flimsy knife. He held it in his hands for a moment, keeping it at hip level so Lee wouldn't see.

" _I'm outside in my treehouse. They can't get in._ "

"That's smart," Lee said, almost in envy of the girl's craftiness.

" _See?_ " Lee and Dominic noticed the treehouse door open slightly through the window, a young girl looking back at them. " _Can you see me? I can see you two through the window._ " She waved at them, both men waving back.

Before either man could move, she screamed into the radio, and ducked her head back inside the treehouse. They both turned around to see a young women approaching them. Sandra. She tried to grab onto Lee, but he pushed her back into the stove with as much force as he could muster, letting out a panicked scream in the process. Dominic hesitated, glancing from Lee to the walker, to Lee again. _No, he_ _ **can't**_ _die!_

Dominic rushed towards the woman, raising the knife into the air before jabbing it towards the woman. As the blade came to the bottom of its arc, the zombie grabbed a hold of him, causing the blade to miss and bury itself into her shoulder. He let out a shriek before kicking the zombie frantically in the leg, tripping the walker backward as it clawed at him. They fell to the ground in unison, Dominic's screams starting to hurt his throat as he tried to rip the knife out of the woman's shoulder.

Lee attempted to grab onto the woman's shoulders and force her off of the boy, but her strength knocked him off balance, the zombie landing on top of Lee. He tried to choke it to no avail; it only gave him the challenge of avoiding its teeth. He kicked her away, her head smacking against the stove with a resonating clank, before he retreated into the living room; his back to the sliding door.

Dominic struggled to get up, his legs swimming with paralysis as he watched a life or death struggle before his eyes. He tried to fight his fear, but could only watch as the walker crawled on top of Lee, trying to bite his neck.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lee saw a small figure opening the sliding door. Clementine, shaking with fear, standing above them with a hammer in hand.

"Here!" She squealed.

Lee reached out and grabbed the hammer from her hands, turning around just in time to kick the woman in the face, knocking it across the room. He lunged, knocking it to the ground, before repeatedly smashed the zombie's face in until it stopped moving. He felt vomit rising in his throat as he gazed down at its gutted face, blood pouring out like water. Panting, he turned to look at the frightened Clementine, and the wild-eyed Dominic.

"Holy shit, dude…" The younger boy breathed.

"Swear," the girl said sternly to Dominic, her brows furrowing, which made the boy giggle.

"Thanks for the help," Lee breathed to Clementine, reaching out his hand as Dominic helped him back onto his feet.

"Did… did you kill it?" She squeaked, looking down at the young women he just killed.

"I think something else killed her, before me," he guessed, barely hearing Dominic's mutter of "fucking zombies…" behind him.

Ignoring his whispers, Clementine added "I heard her scream two nights ago, maybe one of the monsters got her."

"Sure seems that way," Lee whispered before getting down on a knee, looking over the newcomer with scrutiny. "You've been all by yourself through this?"

"Yeah. I want my parents to come home now," she mumbled, looking towards the ground as Lee and Dominic exchanged knowing glances, before turning back to the little girl.

Lee fought back a cough as he rested his hand on her shoulder. "Yeah… I, uh, think that might be a little while, you know?"

"Oh."

Dominic let out a soft sigh before looking down at Clementine with a mixture of guilt and sadness as she continued to look down at her feet. "Look, we don't know what happened. But we'll look after you until then."

He watched her eyes, silently wishing he had prepared for this moment before this. Using Lee's words from the game seemed to make her feel better though, as she looked around the room for a moment before returning her eyes to them.

"What should we do now?" Dominic glanced towards Lee, given that this was his forte.

"I think we should go find some help before it gets dark," the older man replied.

"Agreed, it's safer to move about while it's still daylight outside," Dominic nodded his head, peering out the door and into the woods behind the house. The sounds of walkers moaning still surrounded them in the distance. He turned back to Lee. "The yard looks clear, perhaps we can escape the way I came in?"

"Sounds like a plan," Lee agreed, Clementine grabbing his hand. "Let's go."

Dominic shuddered as they left the house and walked towards the front gate; he was walking next to Lee and Clementine in the fucking **zombie apocalypse** ; the thought raced through his mind on an endless loop. Even though he had to live in a perilous world, and a gut-wrenching one at that, he had two of his favorite characters to watch his back, and he would definitely make sure to watch theirs. Maybe he could save Lee from dying? Or Carley? He could change events, and make the world better, the thoughts and ideas were never ending.

 _But would saving Lee_ _ **really**_ _make the world better? It's a very important lesson for Clem later on… But perhaps she could still be strong even if he survives?_ Dominic couldn't answer his hypothetical question. As the Doctor would say, Lee's death may be a fixed point in the timeline. He could try to change it all he wants, but it's likely he would die anyway, whether he saved Lee from getting bit or not.

They rounded the corner, and stopped when they noticed two men trying to push a car out of the way on the street beyond the gate. They didn't notice the trio approaching them. They stopped pushing for a moment, the taller one groaning, "Man, I ain't never gettin' home to mama at this rate."

"That's new," Dominic muttered, wondering where they had come from, given that it had only been about ten minutes since he entered Clementine's backyard.

As Dominic watched the men he ultimately knew to be Shawn Greene and his friend, Clementine tugged on Lee's hand, causing him to look back at her. "What's the matter?"

"Should I stay?" She asked him, looking down at the ground again shyly.

"What?"

"I don't want to sleep in the treehouse tonight, but I don't know if I should leave. What if my parents come home?" She glanced at her house, uncertain.

Dominic knelt down and patted her on the shoulder, adding softly, "We won't leave you alone." She smiled, it was the first time he had seen her smile since they met her.

"Let's go somewhere safe that's close, okay?"

"That's a good idea," Lee replied, standing up once again, fumbling with the lock on the gate. The zombies Dominic originally found were nowhere to be seen, maybe taken out by the Shawn and his friend while they were busy inside the house.

"Hey, man!" Lee called over to the two men, causing them to turn around and look at them with wide eyes.

"Holy shit! Don't eat us!" The taller one pleaded, waving his hands around, shaking.

"Whoa, calm down. We're not going to hurt you," Dominic assured, raising his hands into the air as if his very presence would set off the men.

"Phew, thought for a second you two _and_ the little one were **all** going to give us the chomp," the shorter man, Shawn, replied, chuckling with relief.

"Do you know what the hell this is?!" Lee found himself asking, still trying to make sense of the situation, and hoping they had a logical reason. They didn't seem to have one though, as the shorter man shrugged.

"No idea. So you've seen them then?" Shawn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We've done more than just see them," Dominic chipped in quietly, folding his arms around his chest.

"Yeah. Same here," Shawn laughed nervously. "Well, I'm Shawn, Shawn Greene," he introduced, walking over to the trio and shaking their hands.

"I'm Lee. This is Dominic. And this one," Lee pointed to the little girl, "is Clementine."

The taller one got down on one knee and waved at the little girl, a small smile on his lips, "I'm Chet."

Clementine smiled before hiding behind Lee and Dominic, who put a hand on her shoulder for comfort, hoping that the gesture would make her a little more outgoing with their new friends.

"We shouldn't be out in the open like this. How about you help us clear the way and we'll take you two and your daughter out of here, and down to my family's farm. It should be safer there," Shawn offered, glancing at the task at hand.

"I'm not her dad… we're… just some guys," Lee stuttered, trying to explain the situation as best he could, without revealing the fact he was in a police car not too long ago.

"Some guys?" Shawn echoed, his eyebrow raising, a frown etched across his face.

"Yeah," Dominic explained, "We're taking care of her until we can find her parents."

"Oh," Shawn said, looking down at the little girl with sadness in his eyes. "She's alone? Damn. Well, let's get going. Staying put for too long is a mistake."

* * *

Night had fallen by the time they hit the road. Dominic and Lee had to help their new friends push the car blocking Shawn's truck out of the way as quickly as possible when more zombies showed up to the scene. Now, Chet and Dominic sat quietly in the back of the pickup truck as they sped down a long stretch of country road, Dominic watching the trees passing by like statues, acres of farmland filling in the gaps between the stretches of Georgian forest.

"So how'd ya meet them two?" Chet asked, finally breaking the silence, his southern twang bringing a smile to Dominic's face.

"Well, I saved Lee's life by helping him climb over the fence and into Clementine's backyard. He was being chased by a shit-ton of those things," Dominic started after a moment, replaying the events of the day in his head. "We met Clementine shortly after we tried finding help inside her house. Her babysitter was dead, turned into one of **them**. Lee had to kill it to save everyone."

"Must'a been exciting. I'd rather stay the hell away from 'em if I can," Chet chuckled before offering Dominic a beer from a pack he had in the flatbed. Dominic accepted it without question. At least, in this new world, being nineteen didn't mean shit anymore, but, after his first gulp from the can, he half-wanted to give Chet the drink back. It was warm, and tasted like shit.

"God, I forgot how terrible beer tastes. No offense," Dominic groaned between making disgusted faces, which made Chet roar with laughter.

"It tastes like shit, but sure can make a bad day better!" The man breathed between fits of laughter, taking a moment to calm himself down before gulping another swig of the horrid drink. Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw a particular farmhouse surrounded by a fence appear in the distance. The southern man took another quick swig before stretching his legs. "Looks like we've made it to Shawn's place."

Dominic held onto the side of the pickup as the road grew a bit bumpy, the truck coming to a halt within the fence. He took a moment to pull himself to his feet before hopping out of the truck. He watched as Lee opened the passenger-side door and stepped out, helping Clementine out of the truck. After everyone gathered at the front of the truck, the newcomers examined their surroundings carefully. Towards the edge of the property, a red barn stood in the evening light. In the center was the two-story farmhouse, hardly affected by the dying world around it. Grass stretched for acres around, with a cow pen on the east side, followed by a tractor beside the fence towards the back of the property.

"Hey, Shawn… I'm a' run on home. My mama's gonna be in a snit," Dominic overheard Chet say, but he didn't listen in on the conversation further. He remembered this farm well from both the game and the TV show, and it almost brought back flashbacks from the show through his head. Rick having to kill Shane. Carl being shot. All of it would happen here. He turned back to the group as Lee's voice echoed beside him.

"Let's get inside, I really need to get this leg looked at." He grunted as he tried inspecting it on his own, but failed horribly as pain shot up his nerves.

"On that, we can agree," Dominic replied, concerned for his newfound friend. They both turned to look at the farmhouse as an older man stepped out, looking towards Shawn with relief.

"Thank God, you're okay."

"I was worried it'd be bad here, too," Shawn admitted as he approached the home, hugging his father.

"Been quiet as usual the past couple days. Ol' Breckon down the way thinks his mare's gone lame but that ain't nothing new."

"I wouldn't have made it back without Chet," Shawn added softly, happy that he and his friend were able to get out of Atlanta alive.

"Well, I'm glad you took him with you then," his father said, before turning his attention to the three strangers now on his farm, eying them. "And you've brought a couple guests."

"Your boy's a lifesaver," Lee interjected.

"Glad he could be of help to somebody," the older man muttered. "So… it's just you two, and your daughter then?" The older man glanced between the two men and the young girl, raising his nose.

Shawn piped in, correcting his father, "Oh, not his daughter, they're… well… just some guys who found her alone."

The older man's eyebrow raised slightly before getting down on one knee and questioning Clementine. "Honey, do you know these men?"

Clementine hesitated. She didn't know much about these two, but she liked them, even if the younger one had a potty-mouth on him. "Yes," she squeaked. Dominic rolled his eyes at the question. Obviously if they had only just met her, she wouldn't _know_ them.

"Okay, then," Hershel stated, nodding his head before turning his attention back to the two men, his eyes focusing on Lee's leg. "Well, looks like you hurt your leg pretty bad there," he deadpanned.

Lee nodded slightly, wincing. "Yeah… it's not doing so good."

The older man nodded. "I can help you out. Shawn, run on in and check on your sister. You," He looked back at Lee, "take a seat up on the porch and I'll go see what I have. And you," his eyes rested upon Dominic, "come with me. I'll need some help grabbing the supplies."

"Okay," Dominic agreed, following the man inside to the medicine cabinet. As they weaved through the rooms of the farmhouse, Hershel (at least, that's what Dominic thought his name was, he couldn't quite remember) stopped in place, turning around to look at the boy and narrowing his eyes as he slowly looked over Dominic from head to toe.

"How much do you know about that man?" He questioned, staring at Dominic like a scolding parent.

"We only met today. But he's a good man, if that's what you're asking." Dominic shifted his footing uncomfortably as he listened to the man. He didn't quite like the way he treated Lee, even in the game. Seemed like there was more there than what met the eye, as if-

"It's not. I don't know who he is or what he's done, but something about him just rubs me the wrong way," He admitted, glancing at the door before grabbing a large box from a nearby closet, a large icon stamped right in the middle of it, indicating that it was a first aid kit.

"He's a good man," Dominic retorted, trying to keep his voice civil. "Saved my life, and the girl's. We wouldn't be here without him, and he probably wouldn't be here without me."

The older man nodded before returning to where Lee was sitting on a bench outside, the man gazing down at his hurt leg. Hershel shook his head slightly at Clementine, who leaned against the railing and peered up at the night sky, before he finally tended to Lee.

"Let's have a look…" He sighed as he grabbed Lee's leg, examining the bloodied wound with a skeptical eye. "Yeah, this is swollen to hell."

"It **hurts** like hell," Lee groaned, holding back pained grunts from the older man's prodding of the wound.

"I bet it does," Hershel chuckled, looking up at the man. "What'd you say your name was?"

"It's Lee."

"Nice to meet you, Lee," he said, returning his eye to the wound. "I'm Hershel Greene."

He wrapped the bandages around his leg with swift motions, a concerned look on his face as he asked his next question. "How'd this happen?"

Lee and Dominic exchanged glances before the older man replied. "Car accident."

"That so?" Hershel prodded, keeping his eyes on his work with the bandages. "Where were you headed? Before the car accident."

"I was getting out of Atlanta," Lee deadpanned, not really wanting to talk about it.

"The news says stay," he muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well that's a mistake," Dominic chimed in, making Hershel look back at him.

"And what's your name, son?"

"Dominic," the boy stated, crossing his arms against his chest.

"You don't sound like you're from around here," He added, gazing at the boy, "and you're in your pajamas. Where're you from?" He charged, each detail not really adding up in his mind.

"Born in Texas. Been living in Ohio for the past couple of months now. Now I'm down here in Georgia, visiting family. I didn't really have time to change when this all started," Dominic lied, not wanting to go into detail about how he actually got there. He didn't even **know** how he actually got there in the first place.

"Uh huh," he muttered, raising his eyebrow before turning back to Lee.

"We hit a guy," Lee added, "One of those things you've been hearing about, on the road."

"Who were you with, Dominic and the girl?"

"No, I…" Lee's voice trailed off, trying to figure out what to say.

"He was with me," Dominic interjected. "We met up in Atlanta when it all went down, I pulled his ass out of the car accident when we crashed. We were with my uncle, who was driving us and... died in the, uh, accident…" Dominic lied, hoping that Hershel would buy it. Behind him, he heard Clementine mutter "swear,", instantly apologizing to her before turning back to Hershel.

"Sorry to hear that," he muttered, staring at the boy with narrowed eyes, suspicion seething in his voice. "but you left the city, in your PJ's?"

"Like I said, I didn't exactly have a lot of time to change when it all went down," Dominic pressed, sarcasm seeping into his tone.

"Is that so?" Hershel sighed after a moment, returning his gaze to Lee. "Anyway, house is full up with mine. We've got another displaced family of three sleeping in the barn. You three are welcome to rest there, when we're done here," He turned around to look at Clementine and asked in a gentler voice, "I didn't catch your name, darlin'."

"Clem- Clementine," she muttered shyly, looking between Lee and Dominic. She could tell that the two men were lying about being together when it all started, but she didn't want to contradict what they were saying and cause trouble.

"Can't imagine what you've been through, Clementine," he sighed.

"More than any other eight year old has been through before," Dominic muttered to himself, barely audible to everyone else.

"We're looking after her until we find her parents," Lee added, reassuring Hershel that they had good intentions.

Shawn walked out the farmhouse door, looking towards the fence surrounding the property before cutting into their conversation, "Hey dad, so I'm thinking, first thing tomorrow, we gotta reinforce the fence around the farm."

"That doesn't seem necessary," Hershel shook his head, refusing to believe that whatever is happening out there would make its way to his farm.

"I don't know what you saw on TV, or heard on the radio, but there's some…" He glanced back at Clementine and Dominic before adding, "serious **shit** hitting the fan."

Clementine said nothing to scold the man, which made Dominic scoff. "Oh, so **he** gets to swear?"

"I don't think anyone knows how big it is yet," Shawn added, after Dominic's brief interruption.

"Your son's right. You're going to want to fortify this place," Lee concurred.

"And fortify it well, I doubt a simple fence will keep them out for long," Dominic grumbled, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Stuff like that doesn't happen around here, Shawn," Hershel said, shrugging off their comments.

"Dad, I'm serious. Guys, come on, tell him what you saw out there!" Shawn looked desperately at the two men, praying they'd save him from the embarrassment.

"I got chased by a couple of dead people," Lee added, the images of those horrific monsters scarring him as he recalled the events.

"And I've nearly gotten eaten **twice** now," Dominic interjected, hating how stubborn Hershel could be. If he didn't listen to them, it would be the downfall of his family, and his farm.

Finally, with a lofty sigh, Hershel gave in.

"Well, do what you think you should. We've got plenty of chores as it is," Hershel declared, not even bothering to look back at his son to acknowledge the decision.

"These guys and those folks in the barn can help out in the morning. We gotta do it, really," Shawn insisted, eagerness filling his eyes.

"I already said okay," Hershel groaned, annoyed by his son's persistence. "Well, Lee. I'm all done here. It should start to feel better tomorrow." He patted the leg, either for good luck or to encourage irritation, Lee couldn't tell.

"Thanks," He mumbled.

"If your leg gets hot or the swelling doesn't go down; you're probably dealing with an infection," Hershel continued after a moment.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Dominic muttered, knowing full well he will be.

"What do we do then? If I don't get better?" Lee asked, curious, as medicine was not exactly his forte.

"We'll probably just have to shoot you," Hershel cheered, which earned him a lot of scared and exasperated looks from the guests.

He sighed, before adding in a less cheerful tone, "We'll clean it, re-dress it, and you'll be fine."

"Okay, that'd be preferable," Lee settled.

"I don't know, man. I'd love to see him-" Dominic started, laughter breaking at his lips.

"Dominic…"

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood here," Dominic defended instantly, regretting his previous joke.

"Anyway," Hershel interrupted, "There's blankets and such in the barn. We'll be seeing you bright and early. Come tomorrow, which way you think you're headed?"

"Towards Macon, I guess," Lee shrugged. He had no idea where to go really, but anywhere that wasn't Atlanta was preferable. With his bad leg, he was hoping Hershel would let them stay on the farm for a few days, but that appeared to be out of the question. Hershel nodded before heading back into the house, giving Clementine a short nod as he disappeared inside.

"I suppose we should go sleep now. It's been a long day," Dominic finished, looking down at Clementine, "Let's go, Clem."

Dominic and Clementine strolled off, Lee following shortly behind them. He still didn't understand why the boy tried to lie for him. He doesn't even know who Lee was, or what he did. Either the kid was extremely naive, or knew more about him than he let on. He decided not to dwell on it too much as they reached the barn and stepped inside. Three blankets and pillows lay down on the barn floor, ready and waiting for the new arrivals.

Once they were in bed, Dominic heard Clementine mumble something under her breath, her nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air. "It smells like…"

"Manure," The two older men said at the same time, looking at each other.

"Jinx, man," Dominic laughed.

"Manure? Like when a horse… plops?" Clementine asked.

"Just like that," Lee chuckled, closing his eyes. It had been a long day, and he was just glad to finally be getting some sleep.

"I miss my mom and dad," He heard her say from beside him, a wave of sadness coming across her like a storm over the sea.

"I bet, Clem," was all that he could say.

"Anyway guys, we should doze off," Dominic finally added, laying on his side, looking over at Clementine and Lee beside him.

"Yeah, big day tomorrow," Lee agreed before closing his eyes again.

Dominic's thoughts resided with his old life as he tried to fall asleep. He missed it already; his best friends, his apartment, his mother. He missed that life so much. He found himself wondering if anyone would even notice he was gone. Images of missing person posters stamped throughout his city flew through his head; his mother's grieving face; his friends crying, thinking that he was dead. He stifled a cry as he rolled over on his side, only to be bombarded by more thoughts. A tear forced its way out and onto his face, before dropping onto the soft blanket he slept on. He was never going to see any of them again.

His thoughts were interrupted as Lee let out a quiet, terrified "Gah!"

Dominic opened his eyes, finding Lee in the darkness. "Bad dream?" He asked quietly, trying not to wake Clementine up.

"Yeah…"

Dominic decided not to comment on it, instead he forced himself to close his eyes, hoping that sleep would come quickly. A smile rested on his face, because he knew that tomorrow was a new day, and he had gotten to meet Clementine and Lee. Something that he never would've dreamed would happen. Silently, he found himself wishing that this really wasn't a dream, that he wouldn't just wake up again in his bed in Ohio. This was his chance to set things right in this new world, and he wasn't going to waste it.


	2. To Save a Life

**Living In A World of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 1 - Displaced**

 **Chapter 2: To Save A Life**

* * *

 **July 19**

"Hey, get up."

Dominic groaned as he was rudely awakened from his slumber. He half wanted to grumble "buzz off" at the voice above him. His best friend knew better than to wake him up before noon.

"Come on, kid. You're burnin' daylight," The voice added sternly, sounding nothing like the best friend he thought the voice belonged to.

"Eugh," was all that he could say as he angrily opened his eyes, only to take in the sight of Clementine and Lee next to him, both yawning heavily. Oh, he was still here. He half-expected to wake up back in his bed in the real world, his roommate Josh forcing him up to play Xbox or something. Groaning, he finally sat up to look at the man who woke him. Dominic recognized him immediately as Kenny. If anything, the handlebar mustache gave it away.

To his left, he heard Clementine groan. "I'm itchy."

"Well you slept in a barn, little lady. Lucky you don't have spiders in your hair," The man joked, sending a smile in Clem's direction. She gasped and grasped at her hair, making sure there really **wasn't** any spiders there. Once she was satisfied, she looked back towards Lee, who had just gotten out of bed.

"But I bet your daddy scared 'em all away though, huh?" This was directed at Lee, who silently groaned at the fact that everyone kept calling him Clementine's dad.

"I'm, uh, not her dad. Name's Lee. And he's Dominic," Lee pointed toward the boy, who was still hating the fact that he had to wake up.

"Hey there," Dominic finally stated in greeting.

"Nice to meet you both, I'm Kenny."

Everyone turned to the barn door as a younger boy ran around the corner, yelling at the top of his lungs "Dad! We're going to build a fence! There's a tractor and everything!"

Dominic groaned again, it was bad enough he was rudely awakened, but now he had to deal with an excited little boy. _Oh boy, it just keeps getting better and better._

"We better get goin', or we won't hear the end of it," Kenny added, already used to his son's antics.

"Is he always so... excited?" Dominic asked, rubbing his eyes as he finally got to his feet.

"Pretty much. That's my boy, Ken Junior. We call him Duck, though."

"Duck?" Lee asked, surprised by the peculiar name. Kenny laughed before adding, "Yeah, nothin' bothers him. Like water off a duck's back, y'know?"

"That's a valuable trait lately," Lee replied, Clementine grabbing his hand as they walk towards the farmhouse.

"No kidding. But frankly, I think it's because he's dumb as a bag of hammers."

They paused at that, Lee being surprised by how Kenny describes his son. Dominic knew the full extent of how idiotic Kenny's son can be, but he was a good kid, nevertheless, so he kept his mouth shut. And he surely wouldn't say anything bad about Duck to Kenny's face, as he would prefer not to be punched into the ground.

The boy yelled for his dad again, making Kenny add with a hint of sarcasm "But he makes up for it with enthusiasm."

Still yawning a little, Dominic stumbled off to find Shawn, not really wanting to stick around for the additional conversation with the Floridian. He was determined to save Shawn. He didn't care if it put himself at risk, or the entire timeline of this universe, he just wanted to save the boy from a needless death. At the very least, see if it was possible. He didn't exactly know how the rules worked here, with him knowing everything that was going to happen.

Shawn had been working on the fence for the past hour, it seemed, silently hoping that all this work would pay off. Yet, as he heard someone approach from behind him, he sighed in frustration. "This damn fence is going to take forever."

"Need some help?" Dominic offered, already admiring Shawn's handiwork on the fence. He didn't really know much about building fences, or anything like it, but he knew a good barricade when he saw one.

Shawn smiled at the offer, "Yeah, if you can saw those two-bys to length, that would really help," Dominic nodded and walked over to where Shawn had already set up a plank of wood to be sawed. As he began to cut the plank in half, he heard Shawn mutter behind him. "My dad really doesn't know just how bad it is out there."

"You'll make him understand," Dominic added confidently as he began to cut the next board, "He needs to know that without walls and without firepower, this place would fall in an instant."

"I know, but… my Dad can be real stubborn sometimes. But with you and Lee backing me up, I think we have a real chance of making this place secure." His optimism was quite contagious, as it had even Dominic hoping that the future for the Greene family and its farm will be bright. This hope began to dwindle away, however, as his thoughts dwelled on the events that will plague the family in the future. Shawn's death, Hershel's death… Beth's death. This family will know pain at its worst degree. Even if he somehow managed to save Shawn today, he won't be able to control what happens to Hershel and Beth in the future, when they are with Rick's group. A voice to his left forced him out of his thoughts, as he turned to see Lee approaching, carrying some more planks over to the two younger men.

"How's it coming?" Lee asked Shawn, who smiled brightly.

"Oh, it's coming along great. A few more hours, and we should have this fence reinforced enough to handle anything coming our way."

"Sounds good," Lee replied, turning to Dominic, "Need any help with that?"

"Nah, I got it, but I'm sure Shawn would appreciate the help nailing the boards to the fence," Lee nodded and grabbed the spare hammer that Shawn handed to him.

After half an hour passed, they were nearly done with the southern side of the farm. During this time, Lee and Dominic had gotten to know Shawn a little better. Turns out Hershel was actually Shawn's step-father, contrary to what Lee and Dominic had thought. He wanted to protect his family with a passion, so he gave up all the things he wanted to help out around the farm, and be there for his little sister, Beth. Although, he was considering becoming a police officer some day, when Beth was older and Hershel didn't need his assistance as much around the farm.

"A police officer huh? You don't seem mean enough to be one," was Dominic's remark, only being half-serious.

"Not all cops are douchebags," Shawn replied as he admired their work, "Though I've got to admit, I've met a lot of douchebags in Atlanta, more so after the outbreak," He began telling a story about how he saw a man shoot a child in Atlanta.

"Was the boy one of the walkers?" was Lee's response. He could hardly believe that someone would just mercilessly murder a kid, but these were strange times, and it made people go insane.

"I don't even know. He was either attacking the guy, or asking for help. He didn't even hesitate. He just turned, put the barrel between this kid's eyes, and pulled the trigger," Shawn looked down at the ground, trying to get the image of the boy's death out of his head. After a while, he turned back to his new friends, "Thanks for the help guys, this place is going to be a fortress after we're done! I think my dad wanted to talk to you two, though. Should be in the barn."

Lee and Dominic exchanged a glance, they both knew what was coming. Saying goodbye to Shawn, they left for the barn, and found Hershel waiting for them, cleaning the barn floor of hay with a rake. The look he had on his face said it all.

"If y'all weren't leaving today, I wouldn't stand for your lack of honesty last night."

"What do you mean?" Dominic asked casually, trying not to blow their cover. Though, at this point, he knew it had been blown for hours.

He turned to Dominic. "You're not a very good liar, son. You may be able to spin a tale, but the look on your face, and the way you carry yourself as you're speaking gives it all away. Not only that, but you seem pretty good for being in a car accident." He took a moment to let his words sink in before continuing. "You lied for this man. I bet that you two had only just met when my son came across you." He turned back to Lee, finishing his lecture. "Look, I frankly don't care who you are, or what you did. But in this new world we live in, you're going to have to depend on the honesty of strangers if you're going to make it. And having people **lie** for _**you**_ , is just despicable. But, you are helping Shawn with the fence, so I thank you for that."

Both Lee and Dominic were speechless. If there was any indication that they were not welcome to stay on the farm, it was that. As Lee tried to explain himself to the older man, there was a bloodcurdling scream from across the farm.

 _Shit. Shawn!_

Dominic ran outside, breathing heavily as he reached where they were working mere minutes ago. And there he was, trapped by the wheel of the tractor, walkers trying to grab him from the other side of the fence. He was so focused on saving Shawn, that he had almost forgot about Duck being there, but as Lee and Kenny came up behind him, he barked out his orders.

"Kenny, Lee, get Duck! Lee, after that, help me get Shawn free!"

They each sprang into action, Lee and Kenny pulling Duck away from the walkers as Dominic pushed the tractor with all of his strength. He was able to move it by an inch, but not enough to get the wheel off of Shawn's leg. A second later, Lee was next to him, finally pushing the tractor off of the boy. They tried to drag him away from the fence, only for the fence to collapse under the weight of the walkers, one of them biting Shawn in the ankle. His screams hurt Dominic's ears as they continued to pull him away, while Hershel began to fire at the walkers with his rifle. Once all the walkers were taken care of, he looked over at them in concern.

"He's been bit!" Dominic yelled to him, cursing himself for being too slow. It all happened too fast, but at least Shawn was alive. They **could** _still_ save him.

"What happens when you get bitten?" Lee asked, trying to figure out what to do. Though at this stage, he really had no idea. The only one that did, was Dominic.

"You turn into one of them," Dominic replied, standing up to face Hershel and Lee, "Listen, this is going to sound crazy, but hear me out, okay?"

 _And here it is. The penny's about to drop._

"We're… going to have to cut his leg off."

" **WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?!** "

"Give me a damn minute to explain, Hershel!" Dominic snapped back, trying to reign in the anger he felt boiling inside of him, "I've seen this before! If you get bit, you eventually burn up with a fever, and die. Then, you come back as one of them! Whatever it is in their bite has to travel through your body, and then to your brain. If we cut the leg off, it won't get the chance to leave the leg, and he gets to live!"

"Do you realize just how crazy that sounds? What if he dies from blood loss?" Lee added, hardly believing what this nineteen-year-old boy was suggesting.

Getting sick of them not believing him, Dominic roars, " **IF WE DO NOT CUT OFF HIS LEG RIGHT NOW, HE** _ **WILL**_ **DIE**!"

"Just do it, damn it! I don't want to die!" Shawn yelled at them, moaning in pain from the bite wound.

Hershel paced for a brief second, his grip tightening on his rifle, but he cursed and turned back toward them. "Fine. Help me get him inside the house, we'll put him on the dining room table," Lee and Dominic did as they were told, helping Shawn to his feet and hobbling him inside. Hershel's family was freaking out, a younger girl hugging Shawn and sobbing. If Dominic remembered right, the girl was actually Beth. Tears streamed down her face as she bawled into his shoulder.

"What's going on here?" Kenny's voice pierced through the air, barely heard over the frantic conversation going on in the room.

Lee was the one to explain, "Shawn's been bit. Dominic says we need to cut the leg off to save him."

"Holy shit. Would that even work?"

"Hopefully."

Hershel and Dominic cleared off the dining room table and laid Shawn on top of it, who was still grunting from the pain. Hershel quickly disappeared into a nearby room for a moment, before coming out a minute later with a rather sharp saw.

"Son, this is going to hurt. Do you want me to put you under with an anesthetic?" The boy shook his head, to the surprise of everyone in the room.

"Don't waste it on this. Just get it over with."

"Alright," Hershel replied, hovering the saw just below Shawn's knee. He hesitated, before finally cutting through the leg with one quick slice. If Shawn's screams earlier hurt Dominic's ears, this one deafened them. The boy's screams reverberated through the house, and into the farmland around them, before he passed out from the pain. A few seconds of slicing later, it was done. Hershel's family crying, Kenny, Lee, and Dominic half staring in awe, and half wanting to puke. Kenny was the first to speak as Hershel quickly went to the low flames in the fireplace in the other room, holding onto a metal poker as it slowly grew brighter in the flames. He was going to have to cauterize the cut.

"Holy shit, man."

It was that moment, that Dominic noticed Clementine standing in the doorway, Katjaa and Duck right behind her. He instantly ran over to her and hugged her, murmuring "Don't worry. He's going to be alright. We did what we had to do to save his life."

She was crying now, not really understanding what was going on. "You cut his leg off… why?"

"He got bitten by them, Clem. It was the only way to save him from turning into one of them," He instantly replied, standing up again, looking over at the worried Katjaa and Duck, "But, thanks to our fast response, he'll survive."

Clementine seemed to accept this, but he knew what they had done had scared her. And for the next hour or so, he found Hershel and Lee questioning whether or not Dominic had been right. All Dominic questioned was whether or not they cut it off in time. He didn't want his one chance at saving Shawn to fail.

Later, after cauterizing and bandaging the cut, Shawn regained consciousness. He was lying in his bed with Hershel, Lee, and Dominic each looking blankly around the room. A throb of pain shooting up the remainder of his leg, causing all eyes to turn back towards him.

"Thank God you're okay," Hershel told Shawn, putting a hand on the boy's arm.

"It hurts like hell," Shawn groaned back, looking down at the stump where his leg had once been.

"We've patched you up pretty good, and the bleeding seems to have stopped. I reckon you're going to make a full recovery," the older man replied, a small tear dropping from his eye, "And you've got him to thank for it." He pointed over at Dominic, who smiled shyly.

"Lee, Dominic. Thank you for saving my son. If you wouldn't of been here, he would've died right then and there." Dominic felt a warm feeling of pride wash over him. He had done it. He saved the unsaveable.

"I'm just glad he's gonna okay," Dominic replied honestly, turning to his new friend, "Who knows, maybe you'll scare them away with your stump."

Shawn laughed, then grunted as another throb of pain shot up his leg, "Yeah. We'll show 'em."

Hershel stood up, walking over to where Dominic stood at the end of the bed, "Thank you for saving my boy. I thought you two were going to be nothing but trouble not two hours ago, but now, I'm almost sorry that you're leaving."

Dominic exchanged a glance with Lee before adding, "Never was planning on staying for too long anyway, but thank you for having us. I'm just glad he's alive."

"Where do you reckon you'll be going after this?" Hershel asked Lee, the younger man scratching his head slightly at the question.

"Macon, probably. Kenny said something about going there earlier."

"Sounds like a plan," Dominic added, turning back to Shawn

.

"Good luck out there. The world needs more people like you two," Hershel replied, shaking Lee's hand, before shaking Dominic's.

"You too."

After saying their goodbyes to the Greene family, Lee, Clementine, and Dominic got in the flatbed of Kenny's truck. Taking one last look at the farm, before hitting the road to Macon.

And to those who will become their new group.


	3. The Motel

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 1 - Displaced**

 **Chapter 3: The Motel**

* * *

Night had fallen by the time the city limits sign for Macon passed by the truck. Lee stared off into the distant trees behind them, lost in his own thoughts, while Dominic and Clementine talked in hushed whispers; about what, Lee had no clue. It felt strange being back in Macon, after the murder and his trial in Atlanta. The warm feeling of happiness washed over him as he thought about being back home, but deep down he knew that regret still plagued his heart. Everyone in his family was so disappointed in him. They **were** once proud of his accomplishments, back when he first became a professor, but now… now when they hear his name or see his face, all they feel is a deep, boiling disgust in their hearts for their son. He just wished he could go back and fix it all; hold in his anger rather than taking it out on the senator. But not even he could change the past, but he knew that the future could always be better, even after all of this had happened.

To his left, he could hear Clementine and Dominic laughing about something, clearly oblivious to all the self-pity and regret emanating from Lee. He almost envied them, being able to smile and laugh despite the whole world going to shit around them. Clementine probably had Dominic to thank for that. The boy had a sense of humor, and was always in a cheerful mood, but he knew the full extent of what they were facing, and when the challenge called, he grabbed it by the horns and did what Lee can only dream of. This boy was meant to be here, whether he knew it or not. Without him, Shawn would've died, and Lee wasn't too sure if he'd be here without him either.

Lee found himself pulled out of his thoughts as the younger boy turned to him. "So, where we heading after Macon?"

"Well, we've got to find Clem's parents. So, probably Savannah," Lee replied, noticing a smile on Clementine's face out of the corner of his eye.

"Alright, cool. At least we got that plan then. Anyway Clem, I'll continue the story later."

"Awww… but it was getting good!"

Dominic laughed before patting her on the shoulder, his eyes glancing towards the passing stores and gas stations that seemed to have been left abandoned. "I know, I know. But it looks like we're finally in Macon."

As they drove further into the small town, a motel came into view on the right. Dominic recognized it immediately, but said nothing about it as they approached. No point making a fuss about it until it was necessary. They continued in silence as they began to pass by the motel, until the shouts started. Someone was fighting, just within the low walls of the motel parking lot, gunshots following each shout.

Without hesitation, Dominic's eyes flew to Lee, a desperate look in his eyes. "We have to stop."

"What? Why?" Lee asked, who was presumably too lost in thought until the gunshots registered in his mind.

"They need our help!" Dominic shouted, banging on the back window of the truck, "Kenny, we need to stop!"

The truck began to slow down in front of the motel, the fight now coming into full view. The motel itself, other than the ruined cars and walkers, looked rather ordinary. The paint on the walls were cracked from years of neglect. In the parking lot, a man and a woman were struggling to fight off a group of six walkers surrounding them. The man wore a plain orange T-Shirt, with a brown jacket and a blue and white baseball cap. The woman wore a white button-up shirt, with short brown hair down to her neck. Once they had stopped, Dominic hopped out of the truck, with Lee in tow. Kenny stomped around the side of the truck, wondering why the hell they had stopped. His look changed when he noticed the group.

"Guys, I don't think we can help them. We'll only put ourselves in the crossfire."

"No, we can do this," Dominic replied, looking to Lee for backup. "You know we've got to help."

"I…" He looked at the ground, before looking back at the younger boy. "Yeah, I'm with you. Let's help them."

"Fine, if you insist. Still think it's a bad idea," Kenny muttered, grabbing some weapons from the bed of the truck, "Here, use these."

He threw Lee a crowbar before tossing Dominic a baseball bat, finally taking out a large wrench for himself. Dominic felt a rush of fear wash over him; he hadn't killed one of these things before, and the last time he tried to help, he couldn't stop the walker from nearly getting Lee. Taking a deep breath, he rushed over to where the two strangers were fighting, Lee and Kenny shortly behind.

Dominic ran across the road and into the parking lot, going for the closest one, who lingered behind the rest trying to get to the two survivors. He kicked it in the leg as hard as he could, knocking it to the ground, then with as much force as he could muster, slammed the baseball bat down onto its head. The sound of the skull cracking and the brain being crushed inside made him want to vomit, but he held it back as he hit it one more time for good measure, the head resembling a flattened pancake of flesh and meat. It didn't move after that, to Dominic's relief. He looked up to see Lee and Kenny fighting off another pair of walkers, the two strangers staring at the new group with shock.

 _Of course it would be these two._ _Glenn and Carley._ Dominic mused as he kicked another walker to the ground, crushing its head with the bat yet again. The second time seemed to be much easier than the first, but guilt still found a way into his stomach while he looked at the dark crimson blood flowing across the asphalt. He wasn't raised to be a murderer, but this is what this world forced you to do to survive. The area fell silent as the last walker was taken down, Dominic, Lee, and Kenny panting before looking over at the two they had saved.

"Shit. Thanks for the assist," Glenn breathed, also panting from the exertion.

"No problem," Lee replied, holding his hand out towards the man. "I'm Lee. These two are Kenny and Dominic."

Glenn looked at Lee curiously before reaching out and shaking his hand, "Glenn. The sharpshooter is Carley."

"Hello," she replied, looking over in Lee's direction. Dominic already knew what was going through her mind. The way her eyes narrowed at the sight of the man, he knew that she recognized him as Lee Everett. There was no doubting it.

"You got yourself into a tight spot there," Lee continued, curious about their intentions. "Were you scavenging for supplies?"

"At first, yeah. Then we found this girl, just locked up in one of the motel rooms. Then she…" His voice trailed off as both of their eyes lowered to the ground, "T - Then she killed herself… with Carley's gun," he let it out in two depressing breaths.

"Holy shit," Kenny's voice rasped from behind them. "Why the fuck she do that?"

"She was bitten," Carley started, her voice trailing off between words. "She didn't want to risk hurting anyone if she turned." The trio exchanged a glance, thinking back to Shawn, before looking back at the strangers.

"Listen, we're holding out inside a drug store in town, you're welcome to come with us if you want, some place safe to stay for the night," Glenn shrugged, a smirk forming on his face. "Besides, you guys seem pretty cool."

Dominic, Lee, and Kenny exchanged glances with each other before Lee spoke for his group. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

"Glenn, Lilly's not going to like this," Carley warned, crossing her arms against her chest. "And just because they saved us, doesn't mean they're good people."

Glenn turned back to Carley, shocked that she would turn on their newfound friends so quickly. "Fuck what Lilly says. These people saved our lives. We can't just turn them away."

Lee coughed, getting their attention, "We're standing right here, you know." There was an awkward pause before Lee continued. "Listen, you don't have to take us in if you don't want to. But we _are_ good people, and we have children with us. So if you have some place safe, we'd like to go there. Please."

Carley stood quietly for a moment, staring at this group of strangers who just saved them with a mixture of distrust and paranoia. After a moment's thought, she turned back to Glenn. "Fine, but I'm not the one who's going to take the fallout if Lilly refuses to accept them."

With the argument won, Lee lead the way back to the truck, introducing Katjaa, Duck, and Clementine to the newcomers. Glenn sat next to Katjaa and Duck inside the cab of the truck, giving directions to Kenny on how to get to the drug store, while Carley joined the rest of them in flatbed. After everyone was settled in, they hit the road, heading straight into downtown Macon.

* * *

The truck slowly sputtered to a stop as when they finally reached downtown, just opposite of the drug store, as the gas gauge reached past the point of 'empty'. The area around them was deathly quiet, like a scene straight out of a horror movie, where the danger lurked in the shadows, waiting for it's moment to strike. The drug store was small, and stood out from the rest of the brick stores around it, with a neon-red sign stating "Drugs Rx" right above the entrance.

Kenny slammed his hand on the steering wheel, cursing underneath his breath. "Well, looks like this is our last stop."

"Alright, I'll introduce you guys to the gang," Glenn added before hopping out of the truck, the newcomers shortly in tow. He lead the group toward the front entrance of the pharmacy before letting out a quiet "shit" when he saw a new lock on black shutters.

"What?" Lee asked, looking at Glenn with furrowed eyebrows.

The younger man let out a heavy sigh. "Lilly must've put a lock on it, we're gonna have to go around back."

He led them around the building, to another door on the right side, opening and closing the door behind them quickly as they crossed through a small office and into the main floor. The newcomers observed their surroundings; deserted shelves lined the store, with a few bottles here and there, of different substances. A side door stood just to the right of the pharmacy counters, the room they had just came from, along with a bathroom on the opposite side of the store. Windows, now barred with wood, peered out into the streets in the front of the room, near the entrance. Dominic and Clementine walked around, while a roaring voice reached their ears from the front of the store.

"Who the fuck are these guys, Glenn?"

"Calm down Lilly, they saved us from a group of walkers. They're cool," Glenn replied indignantly, which earned him an angry stare from the de-facto leader.

"I don't fucking care if they're 'cool', Glenn. We don't have enough food in here for all of us! We can't take risks like this! We don't even know who these people are! They could be fucking dangerous!"

"We have kids with us!" Lee intervened, his eyes shooting back and forth between the two contenders of this brewing argument.

"I see _one_ little girl," An older man snapped, pointing a finger in Clementine's direction as he stomped towards them.

Clementine grabbed Lee's hand, both out of fear and out of desperation. Lee let out a sigh as he looked down to the little girl. "What is it, Clem?"

"I… I have to pee..." She stuttered out, embarrassed that she had to say that in front of everyone.

"Alright, get Dominic to take you over there while I deal with this."

Just one glance to the younger boy and he was off, taking her over to the restroom. As they walked away, Lee turned his attention back to the argument brewing in the middle of the room.

"They've got kids, Lilly!" Glenn yelled, already making it clear which side he was on.

"Those things outside don't care," Lilly countered, her arms crossed as she glared at Glenn. She didn't have enough room in the group for six more people, even if two of them were children. The fact that Glenn thought that she'd go along with it riled her up even more.

"Maybe you should go join 'em then!" Kenny growled, sticking his finger out towards her. "You'll have something in common!"

"Goddamn it, Lilly. You **have** to control these people," The older man snapped, forcing the woman to tell him to calm down. As everyone began to talk at once, Lee coughed, trying to get everyone's attention.

"Listen. Lilly is it?" He interrupted, pushing himself into the conversation once more. "I know they took a risk bringing us in-"

"Yes, they did," she snapped, her narrowed eyes landing on the man.

"But we're good people, and we can pull our own weight. We'd be stronger together." He finished as she huffed, clearly not liking that idea as she stared him down.

Dominic listened to the argument as he led Clementine to the back of the drug store. He halted just in front of the bathroom door, holding Clementine back as he pressed his ear to it. He heard nothing, but he remembered this moment from before. He slammed his hand against the door, hard, causing Clementine to give him a confused look.

"What'd you do that for?"

"Just in case, you never know," he lied. A second later, there was a startling bang against the door, the telltale moans of a walker on the other side forcing them both to take a step back.

"Uh, Lee…!" Dominic called out, looking back at the group in the middle of the store.

"Yeah?" Lee answered, an annoyed tone rising in his voice as he gazed over at the young boy.

"There's a walker in the bathroom," He stated in monotone, getting the attention of everyone in the room. For a second, everything was silent, then Lee rushed towards them, with the crowbar in his hands.

He glanced at Dominic as he reached over the counter and grabbed a set of keys, throwing them to the boy. "When I tell you to, open the door."

"Okay," Dominic replied, gripping the doorknob. The next few seconds felt like an eternity as Lee counted down.

"Three, two… one…"

Dominic held his breath as he waited for the final word, "Now!"

The door flew open as Dominic pushed it against the walker, trapping it between the door and the wall. He held his back against the door, trying to keep the walker trapped so Lee could pound his crowbar into its skull, but the walker fought back, pushing Dominic to the ground before going after Lee, who stepped back, only to fall flat on his butt.

Dominic had to watch as the walker climbed on top of Lee, growling as its teeth drew closer and closer to Lee's terrified face. Before Dominic could intervene, a deafening shot filled the air, a bullet hole appearing in the walker's forehead as it fell flat against Lee, the man desperately trying to push it off.

"Man…" Lee breathed as he managed to get back onto his feet, looking down at the dead cadaver with a heavy breath. He turned to see Carley standing near the entrance, a puff of smoke coming out of her glock as she lowered it.

"You okay?" She asked as Dominic arrived at the scene, his eyes wide as he realized, yet again, he failed trying to save Lee.

"Just great, thanks…" Lee deadpanned as he turned to the boy next to him. "Good catch. No one knew it was here. It could've gotten you and Clementine if you hadn't checked."

"I like to be careful," Dominic replied, feeling guilty that he was hiding everything he knew from these people. He still wasn't quite sure how he got here, or if he could ever go back, and ever since he met Lee, he couldn't decide whether or not he should tell him everything he knew; about what was to come, and prevent most of it from even happening. It was like an internal war; one side screamed to tell Lee what he knew, but a calmer voice of reason warned him against from it. He didn't know how this universe would react if he told someone who he was and what he knew, or how Lee or even Clementine would react if he told them, despite all the good he has done for this world so far, the future is never certain. In the blink of an eye, everything could change, including every single thing he knew that would happen. His very presence could save Lee, or kill him quicker. That thought alone was enough to depress him.

"I've convinced Lilly to take us in, but we can't stay here, not with the walkers everywhere. Any ideas?" Lee's voice brought him back to reality as he looked over at the older man and shrugged.

"Perhaps we should fortify that motel? It looked fairly defensible, at least, it you had the resources to make a proper fence around the place."

"Sounds good, I'll suggest it to Lilly. For now, let's scour this place for anything useful, meds are going to be hard to come by if this doesn't all blow over," And with that, Lee returned to the main floor, leaving a wild-eyed Clementine with Dominic. He looked over at her, and noticed the sadness in her eyes. She wanted to find her parents, but they were looking to find a place to stay for a while.

"Don't worry, Clem. We'll get to Savannah," Dominic assured her, patting her on the shoulder, which seemed to make her happier, "Now let me get this thing out of here so you can do your business, eh?"

"Thanks," she replied, looking up at Dominic with a smile.

"You're welcome."

* * *

 **July 26**

Dominic held the rifle in his hands timidly, inspecting it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. He's never used a rifle before. Hell, he's even never fired a gun before, at least, not before all of this happened. Lee and Kenny decided to teach him how to use a pistol, and now it was time for the rifle. He never really knew just how loud guns were until he fired one for the first time. It felt like his ears were going to bleed, at first. Now, he just sat there in a lawn chair on top of an RV they found, parked within the walls they were building around the motor inn. It was about an hour or two past noon, and his job was to watch for trouble, be it walkers or people. Must've been the most boring thing in the world. _Oh, what I wouldn't do for glass of tea and some video games right about now._ He mused to himself, weighing the rifle in his hand. _But, it's not every day that I get to use one of these._

"Hey," A voice called to his right, disturbing the younger boy's thoughts. He looked over to see Lee climbing the ladder up to the top of the RV, plopping another lawn chair down next to him before sitting down. He took a moment to watch the trees blow in the wind before he turned towards the boy next to him.

"Hey," Dominic replied, inspecting the gun in his hands again. "How are things with Lilly and Kenny? Heard them bickering last night."

"Getting worse," Lee sighed. "They don't really see eye-to-eye. And they both have different ideas about how things should go." He looked down at the roof of the RV, shrugging his shoulders. "Personally, I think they're just being idiots. But, I can't fault Kenny for wanting to leave. We let Glenn leave without a fuss when we took this place. Even _I_ want to leave, for Clementine's sake. Even if it's just to find her parents."

"You and I both know that they're dead, Lee. But… there's no real way to tell her that, without it crushing her spirit, or her straight up denying it." Dominic laid the rifle in his lap, turning to look at his friend, a sigh of his own escaping his lips. "We should at least find her parents, even if they _are_ dead. For closure. I'm not saying that we should leave **now** … but we can't expect this place to be home forever."

"Now that's a depressing way to look at it," Lee remarked, a small smile stretching across his face. "But I agree. We should stay here for as long as we possibly can, and after that, we hit the road."

He looked back at the roof again, seemingly lost in thought, before finally asking, "Hey Dom. If you don't mind me asking, why did you lie for me to Hershel?" The question caught Dominic off-guard, and he scrambled to find something to say.

"Oh, well, uhm… well, to be frank, Lee. I know who you are, and what you've done."

This earned him a curious look from Lee, "Oh, really?"

"I followed your case a bit," Dominic lied, shrugging his shoulders as he turned to gaze at the road beyond their walls. "The senator thing. Frankly, I think you were in the right. He _**did**_ sleep with your wife. And I doubt that you had intended for things to go as far as they did." When Lee looked back at the ground with regret, Dominic returned his gaze to the man, finishing in a lighter tone. "But I know you're a good man, Lee. And that's why I defended you."

Lee sat silent for a moment before smiling. "Thanks, Dom. I really appreciate it. But next time, let me handle it, and save yourself from being put on the spot by someone like Hershel," Lee patted him on the shoulder, taking the rifle from him. "Now, ready for that rifle training?"

Dominic laughed, the smirk frozen on his lips. "Thought you'd never ask."

* * *

 **August 1**

"Things have gone to shit out there, Andy," Danny St. John spoke in hushed tones as he and his brother walked along the perimeter of their farm. His brother looked at him for a second, before turning away to gaze at the treeline just beyond their fences.

"Don't worry about it, Danny, we're safe here," Andrew replied. "And once we've got them electric fence up, ain't nothin' gettin' into this farm."

"God, I hope you're right. Momma's scared of them bandits, and those _things_."

"Well, we've got food, and we've got the cows for milk and butter. I reckon we'll be fine here. Besides, we're out in the middle of nowhere, Danny. Ain't nothing comin' out here, at least any time soon."

This seemed to satisfy Danny, as they continued to check the perimeter. They began their trek back to the house, but before they could reach the gate, a spine-tingling shriek pierced the air. In the distance, a man limped down toward them, two men with bandanas covering their faces and rifles in hand giving chase from out of the forest.

"Go get Momma, I'll handle this!" Andy yelled to his brother, who ran off towards the house. He pulled his rifle off of his back, and shot at the two bandits, grateful for his days of hunting, since each shot connected with the bandits' chests, both of them falling down to the ground with a sickening thud. The man who was being attacked fell to his knees just beyond Andy's fence, sobbing loudly.

"Hey man, you alright?!" Andy yelled to the stranger, who didn't seem to hear him over his wails of pain. Cursing under his breath, he lifted the wire of his fence and crossed to the other side, inspecting the man for wounds. He was shot in the leg, right below the knee. Who knows just how he was able to limp to them in the first place, but Andy knew that this man would probably not be able to walk again, at least not without help.

"Come on, let me help you. Momma can fix you up good inside."

Hearing this, the man stopped crying and looked up at his savior, murmuring his thanks, as if the man that stood before him was Jesus reborn. Andy helped the man to his feet, and cursed as he heard the man weep in pain from the movement.

"Put your arms 'round me, and I'll get you back to the house."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you…"

"Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine."


	4. Strangers In The Woods

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 2 - Starved For Help**

 **Chapter 4: Strangers In The Woods**

 **Day 96**

Coming from Texas, Dominic was used to the scorching sun, but summer in Georgia was something different entirely, and he's never been so drenched in sweat in all of his life. Every nook and cranny of his body was covered in it, and the stench had long since faded from his nostrils as he acclimated to it. The only real thing that separated the summer heat from the ones he experienced growing up is that the electricity had been out since the night they took the motel. No air conditioning, no ice cubes: nothing. Just one scorching hot day after the other. If there was a hell, this had to be it. Now, it was almost October, as much as he could tell by the changing colors of the leaves, and his miraculous ability to possibly step outside and not be met with a wave of super-heated air. It was definitely a welcome change.

Dominic was glad that one of the first things they did after going into town for the first time was raid one of the department stores. Walking around barefoot, in nothing but a T-Shirt and pajamas got old extremely quickly, and the tarmac of the roads felt like they burnt his feet to a crisp. During one of these raids, he grabbed a plain gray shirt, and white tank top, with a pair of blue jeans along with a pair of basketball shorts, for when he was on guard duty and the odds of getting bit in the leg was significantly low. Sometimes he would feel like he was sweating to death from the heat, but there was only so much he could do to keep cool.

Sometimes he forgot he was in a universe that he didn't belong in. It felt ridiculous that he was already going native after only three months, but it's true. Sometimes he forgot that he knew every single thing that was going to happen. It usually came back to him after a long talk with Lee or Clementine, whom he had gotten to know better since they took the motel. The game never really did justice the amount of free time you have in the apocalypse, and the time you spend getting to know the survivors in your group.

He didn't really spend much time around Katjaa and Duck, and the only time he ever really talked to the kid was when he and the boy were with Clementine, sharing stories and making the best of the situation. Carley didn't talk much to Dominic, except about Lee, which Dominic saw coming given how she knew what Lee had done, and was slowly beginning to like the man whom she at first feared would be a danger to the group. Kenny was probably the only one besides Clem and Lee who ever talked to him on a regular basis. They would talk for what felt like hours sometimes, about life before, about the situation at the motel, and about the future. Dom never really liked it when they talked about the past or the future, as he hated lying to Kenny about what was to come. It was slowly eating away at him, like a plague. But the Floridian really grew on Dominic; he did have a temper, but he was loyal to the very end. He was beginning to regret having Clementine kill him in the game. Dominic and Lilly never really talked unless it was about the motel, and during weekly meetings with all the adult survivors to plan out skirmishes into the town or go over supply counts.

That left the newcomer. Referred to by some as the "Savior", well, probably only by Dominic, but he had come right when the group needed him most. About two and a half months, a man named Mark came across the motel group, with enough food to last them all for months. For Lilly, the only reason she even let him into the group was because of the food, but everyone liked him pretty much immediately. He had a sense of humor, so he fit in immediately with Clem and Dominic's group. He's the only one Lilly has yet to yell at, and coming from Lilly, that's almost a miracle. Now, the food was running low again, and Lilly rationed what was left. Sometimes people even had to go through the night without eating, this was a new kind of hell that Dominic was not used to. Three months pass and he had already lost a lot of weight, not only from the lack of a surplus of food, but from runs into the town as well. If he wasn't so damn hungry all the time, he probably would feel proud to be skinnier again.

Dominic peered down at his watch, watching the seconds go by. It was about half past three, and he was dead tired. Often, he would find himself either standing guard atop the RV with the rifle he had only recently gotten used to using, or going out into the town on scavenger runs with Lee or Kenny, sometimes both. Today he was on guard duty again, and it was possibly one of the most boring jobs inthe world. Just sitting there, staring out at the road or into the treeline; hoping and waiting for **something** to move; for **something** to shoot. Some days it wasn't that bad; you'd get the occasional walker come from the town down to the motel, often which would require using a little more stealthy approach. He would pull out the black hilted, eight-inch knife given to him by Mark out of it's holster attached to the belt loop of his pants and head out beyond the dumpsters they used as gates, and stab the walker right in the head, no fuss. After he killed the walker, he would carry it off into the woods. Other times, a whole group of them show up, and the only safe way to kill them was to use the rifle.

Deep in thought, he jumped slightly as he heard the familiar clank of a seat being set down next to him, and looked over to see Clementine crawling into it. She rarely came up here to be with him when he was on guard duty, but he always appreciated it when she did, since it gave him someone to talk to.

"Hey," He greeted, laying the gun in his lap, "Got tired of hanging out with Duck?"

"He talks too much," She replied bluntly, smiling her eight year old smile.

Dominic laughed softly and added, "And I don't?"

"But you like to tell stories, and they're always so fun to listen to," she looked down at her feet as she wiggled her toes.

"Well, I thank you for keeping me company. Otherwise I'd just sit here, lost in my own thoughts all day. Until something interesting finally happened," He laughed again before continuing, "I've never really been that good at just sitting down and doing nothing for hours on end. I'd simply die of boredom!"

They sat there for a few moments in silence, listening to the rustle of the leaves in the wind, and the sound of someone hammering nails into a piece of wood below. It seemed so peaceful. About an hour before, Lee, Kenny, and Mark went out hunting for animals: deers, rabbits, anything they could eat, and they haven't been back yet. So that left Clem and Dominic sitting atop the RV, Duck with Katjaa, helping her with moving supplies into the motel, Lilly in her room (or Headquarters), and then there was Larry, Lilly's dad, who did nothing but snap at anyone who crosses him and worked on the barricade. He especially didn't like Lee, which Dominic saw coming.

After what felt like an eternity of peaceful silence, Clementine finally spoke up, "You never told me what you did before all of this."

"I didn't? Hmm..." Dominic thought it over, considering how he could word this without giving away any information about being from another universe, "Well, before I ended up here, I was a Pharmacy Technician. It's a rather boring job, you probably wouldn't like to hear about it."

Clem thought it over, trying to figure out the job title he had told her, "So what did you do?"

"Oh, lots of things, dispensed prescriptions for patients, counted them, sold them on the registers. Learned a lot about medicine working that job," He replied, looking down at the ground as he thought back to the friends he made working that job, "My friend Josh worked there with me. I persuaded my manager to hire him, he and I have been best friends for years, and I thought it would be cool to work together."

"Sounds fun," She replied, "Well, more fun that being in school all the time."

"It was, I guess. Although, my high school years were some of the best in my life."

" **GET THE GATES OPEN! WE GOT WOUNDED!** " The sudden cry had Clem and Dom on their feet, looking out beyond the fence, where Lee and Kenny appeared from the brush. Mark appeared next, carrying a man in a blue letterman jacket (who was missing a foot, to their disgust), with the help of a younger boy wearing the same jacket.

"Clem, get Lilly!" With the order given, they sprung into action, swiftly climbing down the ladder from the RV, Dominic heading for the dumpster-gate, and Clem heading inside the motel. With as much force as he could muster, he pushed open the gate, letting Lee's group in.

"Who the hell are these people?" Lilly's voice came from behind them as they propped the injured man into the bed of an abandoned truck they had in the motor inn, everyone seemed to be speaking at once, trying to figure out the situation.

"Lee, are you okay?!" Clem's voice pierced through the barrage of voices.

"Get him into the truck, I'll see what I can do," Katjaa told Mark and Ben.

"Kat! Can you fix him?" Kenny asked his wife, who stumbled for a response.

"Jesus, Ken. I… I-."

" **LEE!** " Lilly's voice roared over everyone else's, all heads turned to look at her, "What the hell?! You can't just be bringing new people here! What are you thinking?!"

"We couldn't just leave them there," Lee rebutted, wide eyed, "I thought we could save his life! I'm the one who took his leg, that makes me responsible."

"Well that was a stupid thing to do!" Larry spat at Lee, who glared back at the older man.

"We are **not** responsible for every struggling survivor we come across! **We** have to focus on **our** group! Right here, right now!" Lilly shouted at Lee, getting closer with every booming word.

"Well, hang on!" Carley interjected, getting in between Lee and Lilly, "We haven't even talked to these people yet! Maybe they **can** be helpful!"

"Come on, Lilly. These are people! People trying to survive just like us. We've gotta stick together to survive!" Mark threw in, earning him an angry look from the de facto leader.

Everyone went silent for a moment, before Lilly spat in a low, dominant tone, "The only reason you're here is because you had food. Enough for **all** of us. But that food is almost gone, we've got maybe a week's worth left," She turned towards the younger stranger and yelled again, "And I don't suppose you guys are carrying any groceries, are you?!"

The brown-haired boy gulped and stuttered, his thoughts couldn't come fast enough as the fear took over, "Um… no."

Rolling his eyes, Mark walked away, "Fine. You guys fight it out, then. Welcome to the family, kid."

Dominic stayed out of the argument for the most part, but he decided to finally speak up as Clementine pulled the boy away to look at her drawings, "I'm with Lee on this one, they couldn't of just left them in the woods. Without their help, that man would be dead," He mentally kicked himself as he remembered that the man they saved was going to turn anyway.

"You **always** side with Lee, Dominic. What is it with you two anyway? Conspiring against me?" Lilly crossed her arms, directing all of her scorn in Dominic's direction.

"Because, like it or not, Lee has been making the best decisions he can make given the circumstances. So lay the fuck off, will you?" He replied, standing his ground; he was not taking her shit this time.

"You know, you like to think you are the leader of this little group, but we can make our own goddamn decisions!" Kenny yelled at Lilly, closing in, so close spit almost landed on her face, "This isn't your own personal dictatorship!"

"Oh, come on! You're being dramatic!" Carley yelled as she stormed off, "Everything always turns into a power struggle between you two. I'm not gonna be a part of that!"

"Hey, I didn't ask to lead this group! Everyone was happy to have me distributing the food when there was enough to go around! But, now that it's running out, suddenly I'm a goddamn Nazi!"

"Kenny's right," Lee interrupted, "Yeah, you're in charge of the food, and the schedules, but you're **not** in charge of people's lives!"

"Really?!" She huffed, feeling the argument was already swaying out of her favor.

"You weren't there. Lee made a choice, end of story," Kenny spat angrily before walking off.

"Look," Lee added, trying to calm down the conversation, "Once Katjaa patches that guy up, you can kick them out of here… Send 'em out on their own, I couldn't care less. But they at least deserve a fighting chance against the walkers," When she looked unconvinced, he finished, "And for the record, Kenny wanted to leave those people behind!"

"If Kenny would pull his head out of his ass for five seconds, he'd realize that I make these decisions to protect **his** family! We simply don't have enough food," Lilly strained, trying to bring reason into the argument.

Larry angrily stomped up to Lee, "I don't see any of you stepping up to make the hard decisions! My girl's got more balls than all of you combined!"

"We get it, Larry. Shut up with the fuckin' 'balls' thing already," Dominic replied, crossing his arms. He wasn't going to listen to this old piece of shit insult his friends.

Larry marched over to Dominic, waving his finger like a father scolding a disrespecting son, "You shut the fuck up, boy," His forehead pulsed, as if a blood vessel was about to burst, "I don't need your shit today!" Dominic and Larry stared at each other, like wolves ready to fight to the death. Fists clenched, feet planted.

Lee quickly interjected the two, feeling the hostility rising,"Uh, Dom, let me handle it, go see what Clementine and that kid are up to," Dominic gave Larry one last glare, then walked off, clenching his fists tightly.

He hated how Larry always insulted everyone in the group, especially Lee. He never got along with anyone, and that made much harder to work with, let alone live in the same place as him. That was one of the first times that Dominic had openly got into a fight with the man. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. Adrenaline pumping through his system as he considered punching him in the face. Of course, that would be suicide. Larry could tear him to pieces, with all that muscle he had. His bad heart made those conversations difficult, since everyone had to be careful not to provoke him that far.

He looked over to where Clem and the boy were sitting (His name was Ben, if Dominic's memory served him), she was showing him pictures that she drew. There was one of Kenny's family, then there was one of Lee, Clementine, and what Dom assumed to be himself. She looked up at him as he approached. That was when he noticed Clementine's hat was not on her head.

"Hey Clem, where's your hat?" He asked, half knowing the answer.

"I don't know. Can you help me find it?"

"Of course, when did you last see it?" He asked, sitting down next to them. Ben decided he didn't want to stay any longer, and walked off.

"I had it a few days ago," She replied, "But I woke up and it was gone."

"Don't worry, Clem. I'll find it," Dom replied, patting the younger girl on the shoulder. He looked back towards the treeline beyond the fence, feeling as if someone was watching them. He frowned as he began to remember the crazy lady from the woods who had stolen Clementine's hat, and tried to kill Lee and Danny St. John. She was out there, watching them.

That's when he heard Lilly yell to Lee, in a harsh, sarcastic tone, "You know what? If you think I'm doing such a shitty job, then you do it!"

Well, looks like the shit just hit the fan.

"That's all the food we have for today, **YOU** decide who gets to eat."

Lee looked down at the four items of food Lilly had in her hands in shock, "Lilly…"

"No, I'm serious. Pick up that food, and start handing it out. You see how it feels to not have enough food for everyone."

He hesitantly took the food from Lilly, looking at all of the hungry faces around him. He had four pieces of food for eleven people. How the hell was he going to work this out?

Dominic stood up from where he was sitting next to Clementine, and walked over to where Carley was sitting in a lawn chair, "That is some A-Grade bullshit."

"I know."She replied; a few seconds later, Lee walked up to them, the frown on his face told the whole story.

"Lilly has me handing out the food," He said, crossing his arms.

"We heard. It's complete bullshit that she pins that on you, Lee," Dominic replied, trying to comfort his friend, "But I'd rather have you handling things than her anyway."

"I agree with Dominic on this one, that can't be an easy job," Carley added, she felt that Lilly had gone too far this time, making Lee have to accomplish the difficult (and impossible) task of feeding everyone in the inn.

"It's not. I won't be able to feed everyone," he looked them both in the eyes, hoping that they could give him the advice he needs to get through this, "What should I do?"

"Well, if you wanted to get in good with Lilly, I'd make sure Larry gets some food, even though the guy can be a real dick sometimes." Carley replied, glancing over at Larry and Mark, who were working on the barricade.

"Sometimes?" Dominic laughed sarcastically, "That guy is a constant pain in the ass."

"Anyway," She interrupted, continuing to give Lee her advice, "On the other hand, giving that food to Kenny and his family might make him remember you if he decides to take off in that RV one day."

"What about you two? Y'all need food too," Lee argued.

"We **all** need food," Carley replied, "I can't tell you what to do, but whatever happens, I know you'll be trying to do the right thing."

"Besides, I'd rather Clem get some food first," Dominic added, "She's more important than me."

"Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice," Lee smiled, then left to give out the food, making sure he gave Clementine some first.

"You know, you could've asked for some food too," Carley said to Dominic as they watched Lee hand out the food.

"I know. It's just, I'd rather Clem get the food, and the others who've gone longer than me. I've learned not to be selfish when it comes to food now. It's a valuable, and rare resource. I gotta think about when to eat now, rather what I'm going to eat," Dominic sighed and patted his slimming belly softly, "Besides, for once I've actually been able to lose some weight."

"You looked okay before, Dom. You don't have to constantly worry about your weight, it isn't something people judge you on anymore."

"I know," He replied, "But ever since, I've been getting better and better at being able to exercise or run. Things that are necessary to survive being chased down by a walker, or by someone," he looked back at Carley, "But thanks."

Lee had given food to Clementine, Duck, Larry, and Kenny. After a few minutes, he came back to the RV and looked up at Lilly, who was sitting in the chair Dominic had been sitting in not thirty minutes ago. She said to him softly, "Not such an easy job, is it?"

He looked over at Dominic and Carley, the latter reassuring Lee, "It's okay. I know you're still watching out for me."

He looked back to Lilly and stated, "I don't envy you. I don't know how you have the strength to do this every day."

She sighed, "I don't have a choice."

A second later, Kenny came up to Lee, thanking him, "Hey, thanks for looking out for me and my family…"

"Yeah, of course," Lee replied. He took care of those he was closest too, and would've given Dominic something if the boy hadn't turned him down.

"Still," Kenny added, "I guess some people aren't gonna be happy with your choices."

Lee frowned, then found himself looking down at the ground. He still felt guilty that he didn't have enough food for everyone, and hated Lilly for putting him in that situation. Kenny walked away as they heard Katjaa calling for them.

"Ken! Lee! Come here, please."

They walked over to Katjaa together. Kenny was the first one to speak, "He didn't make it, did he?"

"He…" She looked down at the ground in sadness, "Lost too much blood."

"God damnit!" Kenny shouted, pounding his fists on the bed of the truck and walked off, throwing a part of the RV he had been working on onto the ground, "I'm getting sick of this **shit**!"

"Ken, come back! There's nothing-"

"Let him go, Katjaa," Lee interrupted. He understood what Kenny was going through. They did all they could to save that man, and he still died.

"But…"

"He just needs time. It's been a rough morning."

"That man you brought…" Her voice trailed off, as she looked back at the dead man, "I tried, but he was never going to survive."

"Well, at least he's not our problem anymore," Lee shrugged, feeling a little guilty as the words left him. The power struggle between Kenny and Lilly that was getting worse every day, from short arguments to shouting matches. If this kept up, there was going to be hell to pay.

Katjaa looked over at Ben, who was talking with Dominic, "What about the other kid?"

"I don't know, maybe he could-" Before he could finish his sentence, Katjaa suddenly gets grabbed by the man who they had thought died, " **SHIT, KATJAA!** "

He tried to pull him off of her, but the man was strong, surprisingly strong. As he pulled, he noticed the man had become a walker. _What the fuck?_ He pulled them apart with all of his might, finally getting the walker off Katjaa, and forcing it back into the truckbed.

Turning around, Lee yelled to Larry and Mark, "The axe! Hurry!"

He screamed as the walker grabbed onto him, turning him around, mouth ready to bite. Lee tried to smash its head into the side of the truck, but it resisted. Larry ran with the axe, yelling, " **GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY!** "

Lee pushed the walker back against the window of the truck, but it ducked down as Larry swung, colliding with the metal of the truck, "Damnit! I had it!"

 _Shit._ Lee tried to kick the walker away, but it just kept pulling forward. Finally, he was able to kick it back against the window, and began to crawl back out of the truckbed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dominic and Carley running towards them. The next thing he saw was the ground as he fell out of the back of the truck, grunting in pain as all the air inside of his lunged were knocked out. The walker fell on top of him. Lee pushed his fingers into its eyes, but it was no use. He wasn't going to get out of this one without a weapon.

That was when Dominic came to his rescue; knife out. He stabbed the walker in the back of the head. The walker fell to the ground, becoming lifeless as blood oozed out of his skull.. With a sigh of relief, he helped Lee push it off of him, and reached out to help the older man to his feet.

Breathing heavily, Lee added, "Thanks."

"No problem."

"You okay?" Carley asked, concern etched across her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," He breathed, looking back at her.

"Why'd ya bring him here in the first place, asshole?!" Larry roared to Lee, which made everyone glare at him.

"Dad! Calm down!" Lilly tried to say to her father, to no avail. He wasn't done with Lee.

"You're going to get us **all** killed!" With that, he pushed the axe against Lee, walking off angrily as Lee hesitantly held the axe.

"Why didn't you tell us he was bitten?!" Kenny yelled to Ben, who looked shocked to hear what Kenny was saying.

"What?!" He was flabbergasted at the accusation

"He was bitten and you didn't say a goddamn word!"

"But he wasn't bitten, I swear!" The boy tried to defend himself, but Kenny wasn't having any of it.

"Well your 'not-bitten' friend here came back to life and tried to kill my wife!"

"What?!" He looked shocked for a moment before realizing the situation, "Wait… y'all don't know?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kenny shouted again, inching closer, fist clenched; he was done with this boy beating around the bush, if he didn't give him a straight answer in the next five seconds, the kid was going to regret it.

After a brief pause, the boy continued, "It's not the bite that does it! You come back no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's just what happens. It's gonna happen to all of us…" He stuttered, shaking.

"God help us," Lee gasped. He wasn't normally a very religious man, but in that moment, he really hoped there was something up there protecting them.

"It makes sense," Mark added softly, "In those first few days it spread so fast."

Lilly was the next to speak, "Car accidents, suicides, everything was making more of them."

"When I first saw it happen," Ben continued, his voice lowering as he began to tell his story, "We were all hiding out in a gym and everybody thought we were finally safe. But one of the girls, Jenny Pitcher I think, I guess she couldn't take it. She took some pills. A lot of them."

Dominic sat on the ground with his head against the RV, and said softly, "She couldn't handle the pressure. So she killed herself. Not the best way to go…"

"Someone went in the girls' room the next morning and… God…" Ben was still shocked about it, even though it's been so long since Jenny's death. It never left the back of his mind, like a nightmare that never ended.

" **Back off!** " Everyone turned as they heard Carley's warning. She was aiming her gun at someone just beyond the fence.

 _Oh shit._ Dominic thought to himself as he got back on his feet. _Not these assholes…_

"Whoa, lady, relax! Me and my brother, we… we just want to know if ya'll can help us out." A voice called from the other side of the fence. Dominic recognized it immediately as Andy St. John.

"I said back off!" Carley yelled again, not wavering.

"Carley…" Lilly for once was the one trying to calm things down.

"Are you armed?" Lee called to the two men, not so sure himself.

"Yeah… for protection," The other man replied, "Dead could be anywhere."

"Bullshit," Dominic whispered under his breath.

"But, uh, I think you've got the upper hand here," Andy added, trying to calm down the group they had just met.

"Why do you need gas?" Carley asked, still aiming her pistol at the two men.

"Our place is protected by an electric fence. Generators provide the electricity," Danny replied.

"Our generators run on gas," Andy added, "Look, we own a dairy farm a few miles up the road. If y'all be willing to lower your guns, we can talk about some kind of trade."

"How are ya'll doing on food? we got plenty at the dairy," Danny continued.

"Don't trust them, guys," Dominic told the group, "There's something off about them."

"Dominic, first you want us to help strangers, now you're sayin' not to trust **them**? What the hell is wrong with you?" Lilly asked, confused as to why this boy, who seemed to trust everyone he has met so far, but not these two.

Dominic tried to figure out a way to say this without giving away the fact he knew more than he was letting on, "Doesn't it seem a little fishy that two men come out of the woods, out of nowhere, and ask for gas, then says they have 'plenty of food' to trade? I don't trust them. Who knows what kind of food they're talking about. For all we know, they could be cannibals."

"Cannibals? Are you serious?" Mark asked, astonished that the boy would even suggest that, "Why would they be cannibals?"

"Think about it. What's the most abundant meat you can find now? Human meat. If you come across some survivors, you can take them in, and then, eat them."

"That's a load of horsecrap, Dom," Kenny added, hardly believing the boy.

"Lee," Dominic looked to the man he had set out with from the very beginning, "You need to trust me. These guys are bad news."

"I…" Lee hesitated, all eyes on him; stuck between his loyalty to Dominic, and the rest of the group, "I don't know, Dom. What if you're wrong? And they have enough food for all of us?"

"Lee, please…"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Dom. But if they **do** have food, it's a risk we need to take."

 _No, no, no, no!_ Dominic was panicking now, he didn't want Mark to die, or even Larry for that matter, "But…"

"It's settled, Dom. We're going to go." Lee said, finalizing the matter.

"Lee, why don't you and Mark check this place out, see if it's legit?" Lilly asked.

"I'm going with you. I got your back if anything seems fishy," Carley offered, eying Dominic. Lee nodded and looked out to the group outside, oblivious to their earlier conversation.

"So, uh, what are ya'll thinkin'?" Andy asked politely.

Lee thought it over for a few more moments, feeling Dominic's glare behind him, then finally "You've got a deal. We'll bring **some** gas to your dairy. In exchange, you give us some food to bring back. We'll see how it goes from there."

"Sounds fair. A couple of gallons should power one of our generators for a while."

"Lee, you are making a huge mistake," Dominic stated in an ultimately serious tone, trying to get Lee to call it off.

"We'll talk about this after I get back, Dom. Don't worry, I'm keeping what you said in mind, and I'll be on the lookout for anything suspicious," Lee replied.

"At least take me with you," He was trying so hard to fix this, but it just wasn't working.

"No, stay here, protect the motel, and look after Clementine until I get back."

Dominic sighed, "Fine, okay. Good luck."

Lee nodded, then turned back to Mark and Carley, "Let's go."

With that, they were gone, disappearing into the forest with Andy and Danny St. John. Everyone went back to their posts, except for Dominic, who stood there looking out into the forest. He was so close to preventing Mark and Larry's death, but he couldn't. He realized then that he couldn't change everything. Some people were going to die, it was only a matter of time.

He just wished that it didn't have to be now.


	5. To Kill A St John

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 2 - Starved For Help**

 **Chapter 5: To Kill A St. John**

It wasn't too long before Ben and Carley came back to the motel, holding a basket full of biscuits. Lilly, being the ex facto leader of the group, tried splitting the biscuits evenly between everyone, which ultimately failed since everyone had their hands in the basket the second they heard the word 'biscuits'. Dominic planned to not have a single piece, but his rumbling stomach decided otherwise. In a matter of minutes, the biscuits were gone, and everyone sat down happily, glad to have food in their stomachs. Carley and Ben weren't given a chance to eat a single biscuit after handing them over to Lilly, but they reassured the group that they had already ate some on the way back.

"So," Lilly was the first one to speak, looking over at Carley and Ben, "Did it look legit?"

"Well, the place looks safe," Carley shrugged, "And they seem like really nice people."

They turned to look at a frowning Dominic, who still seemed unconvinced. To them, he was just paranoid. He was just a kid who had no idea what he was talking about; he knew otherwise. He knew exactly what was going to happen, and it seemed that fate had given him no choice but to go along with it. Unless he told them what he knew. He still wasn't sure if he should **ever** tell them. For all he knew, the universe could implode, or nothing could happen at all, except saving the lives of those he cares about. Was he willing to risk this entire universe, and his own life, to save one man? He clenched his fists and teeth, trying to force the thoughts away, but it wasn't working. He could save Mark and Larry, right now, if he told them everything he knew. What killed him the most is not knowing what could happen if he did.

"Looks like you might be wro-," He heard Lilly saying, but he was tuned out; staring into the forest as if Lee and Mark was going to jump out safe and sound, but nothing came.

Lilly turned back to Carley and whispered, "Keep an eye on him. I don't know what's gotten into him today, but I don't want him ruining this for us. We **need** the food."

Carley looked over at Dominic for a moment, wondering just what was going on in the boy's head, and why he would suggest such an accusation. "What if he's right? I mean, yeah, they seem nice, but that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with them. **They're** the ones we should be keeping an eye on, not him."

Lilly's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "I can't believe you're siding with him. He knows nothing about these people but throws accusations about them like he **does**. The kid's paranoid, and paranoia is **exactly** what we don't need right now. **Especially** if we want to get that food," She turned to walk away, but Carley quickly grabbed onto her shoulder.

Carley gave Dominic another look; secretly praying either he's right, or that he doesn't make her look like a fool for defending him, "Lilly, don't ignore Dominic's intuitions. He may just be a kid, but he's smart. He wouldn't accuse anyone of anything without reason." She sighed, "All I'm asking is to not let these guys catch us unaware. Especially if they **do** turn out to be cannibals."

Nodding, Lilly walked off to get the group ready for the walk over to the St. John farm. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the dinner they were promised. Lilly decided to leave Ben, Carley, and Dominic behind to guard the motel, and for Carley to keep watch on Dominic so he doesn't do anything rash. If only they knew the Hell they were walking into, and he was the only one that knew how to save them.

Dominic hardly noticed the rest of the group leave for the farm, he was too lost in thought to care. When he first woke up in this world, lying on top of that car in front of Clementine's house, he thought he had been given the chance to make things right, and to save everyone that died along the way. He saved Shawn back on the farm, but why couldn't he save Mark, or Larry? He thought this universe was pushing back against him, testing his resolve. He could save anyone he wanted to, if he had the guts to spill his secret. Even if he did, would they even believe him? They'll think he's crazier than the St. Johns. Probably even kick him out of the group for being 'mentally unstable.'

Hours past, as the sky grew dark, thunder boomed in the distance as a storm rolled in, and Dominic's heart sank like the black clouds at night. He sat, fuming in his chair as he watched Carley and Ben go about their day, building a fire to keep warm as the wind picked up. As the sun started to fall below the horizon, he couldn't take it anymore; he was done accepting fate. He marched over like a man on a mission, opening the door to the supply room; Carley inspecting their dwindling supplies. She didn't even notice him come in as he crossed his arms and leaned against the tattered wall.

"Carley, we need to go."

"Go? Where?" She asked casually, continuing to count inventory, not hearing his tone of urgency.

"To the St. John farm, where else? They're in trouble," She looked back at him and frowned, crossing her arms. This kid just didn't know when to give up.

"What makes you say that?" She questioned, "I mean, they're running a little late, but that doesn't mean something **bad** happened," She stood there, staring at him like a scolding mother. He frowned, but she was still unconvinced. He was going to have to give her something more to get her to move.

"Carley, if we don't go now, they're all going to die." Carely raised her eyebrows, her frown lowering with each word. "Mark, Larry, Lee, Clementine, Lilly, all of them. If we just sit here and do nothing, they **will** die!" He was half yelling now, which made him feel a mix of guilt and determination. He **knew** he had two choices; convince her, or they all die. Clem will die.

"WE **HAVE** TO MOVE!" Dominic shouted his final, desperate plea.

"You're full of crap, Dom! How could you even know that they're in danger? You're just paranoid," She turned around, her face burning red at this ignorant and possibly insane teenager, and continued to do her inventory counts, but he stepped in front of her, blocking her view from the piles of ammo and medicine she was counting.

"Carley, please." He started again, forcing his voice to remain calm; exactly opposite of his emotions. "Just this once, trust me. If it turns out that they're fine, you can slap me all you want. But I know I'm right, so please, **we need to go save them**."

She thought it over for a minute, still staring at this insane teenager. It felt like a bad idea bringing Dominic to the farm in the state he was in; f there **was** nothing wrong, he'd just cause more problems. Carley could see he wasn't going to give up, and with a deep sigh, she lowered her eyes; Defeated.

"Okay, we'll go!" She said, mentally slapping herself in the face for trusting Dominic. "Get Ben, we might need his help for this one. You **better** be right about this, Dom," with those last words she gave him a look. _If you_ _ **are**_ _wrong, you'll be more than slapped._

"Of course I'm right, it's me we're talking about," Dominic deadpanned. She rolled her eyes as they left the supply room. She was going to hold him to his promise. **If** everyone was safe, she **will** slap the shit out of him.

* * *

"Open the god damned door!"

Lee groaned painfully, his eyes slowly opening and closing as he slipped in and out of consciousness, the walls spinning around him. The sounds of Larry's voice shouting angrily and someone vomiting nearby stirred him from his forced slumber.

"You can't keep us in here! **OPEN UP! I WILL TEAR YOU FUCKERS APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!** "

"Will you stop that banging! We've gotta find another way out of here!" The next voice Lee heard was Kenny's, with Lilly in the corner continuing to vomit.

"You sick fucking bastards! Open this door god dammit!"

Lee looked over to see Clementine standing next to him, trembling and scared out of her mind as she watched Larry bang on the door. When she finally saw him looking at her, she shrieked with relief, as if she suddenly forgot what she had just witnessed, "Lee!"

"Dad, stop!"

Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and it only made the pounding in Lee's head worse. Upon closer inspection, he realized where they were: in a locked meatlocker. The steel walls reflected vague images of everyone in the room, like a dirty mirror. Above him, he noticed a shelf, but he had no idea what was sitting on it. He only hoped that whatever it was wasn't heavy enough to come falling down on his head.

He shook his head violently, then looked over at Clementine as she knelt down beside him, her eyes wider than gleaming stars, "It… it was a person! They tried to make us eat a person!" She screeched in a hushed voice.

"But.. you didn't do it…" He managed to gasp to her.

She shook her head and looked down at the ground in disgust, "No."

"The rest of us did, god dammit! If you hadn't dragged your feet!" Larry spat at Lee, who didn't dignify it with a response.

"C'mon, Dad. Now's not the time," Lilly pleaded, exhausted and failing to calm her father from the white-hot rage he had pent up inside.

"You okay, Clementine?" Lee asked, ignoring Larry's insults, and looking over her to make sure she was unharmed, "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

She shook her head and mumbled, "Mm-mm."

Once again Larry's voice interrupted the conversation, " **OPEN UP!** "

Kenny stormed over to where Clementine and Lee were sitting, "Lee, those psychos have my family, and we're stuck in a damn meat locker! We've gotta get the fuck outta here!"

"This goddamn thumbsucker was the one who brought us here in the first place, after that kid pleaded for us to stay at the motel. Looks like he had more common sense than this asshole!" Larry snapped.

"Will you all just shut the fuck up?!" Kenny snapped back angrily.

Clementine shook a little bit as Lee got back onto his feet, "I'm scared," she mumbled as she covered her ears.

"Don't be," He replied calmly, "It's gonna be okay, I'm gonna find us a way out of here…"

The first thing he noticed was the air conditioner screwed onto the wall. _Perhaps…_ He thought, but was cut off as Larry gasped out, "I'll break the damn door down!"

"Dad, you can't get-"

She fell silent as Larry grasped at his chest, and started gasping "Aah! Urg!"

"Easy…" She pleaded, but it was no use; the damage was done.

"Oh god…" Finally his heart had enough, and he collapsed to the floor like a sack of potatoes, a thundering boom echoing through the walls. Screaming, Lilly rushed over to her father, holding his face in her hands, frantically searching for a pulse.

"No! Dad, come on! **DAD!** " She screamed through tears, "Oh God, he's stopped breathing. I think he's had a heart attack!"

The rest of them stood there in disbelief; Kenny was the first to speak, "Shit! Is he dead?"

"He's not dead! Somebody help me!" Lilly pleaded, but no one came to her aid. Everything that happened in the past few hours had taken its toll, and they were all frozen on the spot.

"Fuck… if he's dead…" Kenny continued uncertainly. He knew what was going to happen if Larry turned. They had no weapons, and the guy was a walking piledriver; they had no chance.

" **HE'S NOT DEAD!** " She shrieked at them, which made Kenny feel worse about what was coming next.

He turned to Lee, who seemed just as shocked as everyone else, "You know what has to happen, Lee… Think about it. You saw that poor bastard at the motel, how fast he turned..."

"What are you saying?" Lilly asked angrily, turning to look both of them.

"Lilly… I'm sorry, I truly, truly am… But in a few minutes, we're gonna be stuck in a locked room with a 6-foot-four, 300 pound, **SERIOUSLY** pissed off dead guy!"

"Fuck you, we can bring him back!" She turned to look at Lee, who still looked at them both in shock, "Lee! Help me!"

"We'll mourn him later… but right now, we have to keep him from comin' back!" Kenny insisted.

"Nooooo!" Clementine screamed to no avail.

"God dammit, Kenny! He's **NOT DEAD!** "

"Lilly can still save him," Lee finally replied, he wasn't going to let Kenny kill Larry if there was still a chance that he could be saved.

Kenny shook his head, "I wish she could. Believe me, I do. But that man is dead. You **BOTH** know what happens next. Remember what Ben said… gotta destroy the brain…"

Lee didn't reply, he wasn't going to let Kenny kill Larry, even if that meant destroying their friendship, "Come on Lee, I'm right about this! I know you've got my back, you **ALWAYS** do!"

"God dammit Lee! I **NEED** you! Please help me!"

Lee glanced at Lilly and Larry on the ground, then at Kenny beside him; he had made his decision. He rushed over to Larry, Kenny yelling in disbelief, "Lee?!"

"Is he breathing at all?" Lee asked Lilly quickly, getting down on his knees next to her.

"No, no I don't think so!" Lilly answered, surprisingly calmer than she has been in the past few months.

"Okay, let me take over! Keep checking his pulse!" She did as she was told, and Lee placed his hands above Larry's heart, just like he was taught in school. He began to push down on Larry's chest repeatedly as Kenny yelled at both of them.

"Are you stupid?! He's gonna turn! You're putting all of us at risk, you sonuvabitch! You're fucking worthless, Lee!"

Before anyone could react, Kenny dropped a salt lick on Larry's head, crushing it as if it was made out of tissue paper. Lee and Lilly both stared in shock, not believing their eyes. The room was finally silent for a few seconds. _What the fuck just happened?!_

Lilly's scream bursted everyone's eardrums, " **NOOOOOOOOOO!** "

" **KENNY! WHAT THE FUCK?!** " Lee roared at his friend.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I just- It had to be done!" Kenny cried for forgiveness.

"You don't know that!" Lee snapped back, ready to kill Kenny himself.

"Yes I do, Lee! And so do you! I was counting on you, man," Kenny stared blankly at his friends, shocked and hurt no one understood why he did it, and out of everyone he thought that he could trust, Lee refused to defend him.

"Go fuck yourself, Kenny," Lee spat angrily, the two of them going back to where Lilly was laying over her father, sobbing into his crimson covered shirt.

"I'm sorry, I know it-" Kenny started before being verbally attacked by Lilly, causing him to jolt back in fear.

" **DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!** "

Lee stopped in his tracks as he heard Clementine sobbing in the corner, hiding her face from the hideous sight, he walked over to her as she turned around and looked down at the ground in front of her, "Are you okay?"

"Is- Is it over?" She mumbled through tears, closing her eyes tightly.

"Yes, for now," He soothed, "But we still need to find a way out of here…" He knelt down and hugged her tightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder, "Shh… I know, I know. But you gotta be strong right now. I need you to be strong. Think about something else… something hopeful."

"Like what?" She asked through sniffles.

He thought it over for a second, before finally replying, "How about your walkie-talkie… those pretend talks with your Mom and Dad? Don't those make you feel better?"

"Sometimes…" She replied uncertainly before asking, "We're gonna get out, right? You found a way out?"

"I'm workin' on it."

It didn't take very long to unscrew the air conditioner and remove it from the wall. Kenny and Lee carefully lifted it down to the ground, and examined the air duct. It was far too small for any of the adults to fit in.

"Looks like it'll probably lead right into that back room…" Kenny concluded and looked over at Lee next to him.

"It's too small for us to fit through."

They both turned around as Clementine's uncertain voice added, "I can do it…"

Lee, swallowing his shock of Clementine's bravery, knelt down on a knee in front of her, whispering reassuringly, "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"I know. I just wanna go home…" She said, holding back a whine. He was proud of her, when she needed to be strong, she was. She was going to go far. He hoped.

"This'll help us get back home," Kenny reassured her before they helped her into the air duct.

"You're gonna be fine," Lee added as she looked back at them one last time.

Smiling, she crawled through the ducts until she reached the other side, dropping down into a room too horrid for words. She gasped as she examined everything around her. There was blood everywhere, sharp knives, and all sorts of strange tools she's never seen before. It was like a scene out of a horror movie. The next thing she saw was a man sitting on a bale of hay just outside the barn with a rifle, looking over at the farmhouse and the fields. Gulping down her fear, she turned to her left, finding another door leading into a short hallway. At the end, was a metal door, which she presumed was the door to the meatlocker. She grabbed the door handle, and pulled with as much force as her little body could muster, opening the door quietly.

"Are you okay?! Did anyone see you?" Lee hissed, rushing over to her.

"No, but there's a man outside…" She whispered back, trying not to tremble, adrenaline pulsing through her petite form.

Not waiting for the others, Kenny started for the door, halting briefly as Lee asked "Where the hell are you going?"

"What do you care?" He snapped before stomping out of the locker.

"Kenny!" Lee tried to keep quiet, but Kenny was on his last damn nerve. He looked hastily over at Lilly, who was still crouched down by her deceased father, and whispered softly, "Lilly. I'm sorry, but we've gotta go…"

"I know… I just need a minute to say goodbye," She looked sadly at her father before looking back up at Lee, "Hey, we're good. Okay?"

"Yeah, this is good…" They all heard Kenny mutter outside.

"Shit, he's going to get us all killed!" Lee stormed off towards the door, but before leaving, turned to look at Clementine, telling her, "Stay here. Take care of Lilly, okay?"

"I will."

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Dominic groaned as they walked down the road to the St. John farm. The sky was pitch black as the trio stomped down the muddy trail; pants dripping with the brown goop. He shivered as the neverending rain drenched him to the very core and groaned as his sore feet began to ache with each step he took. The wind blew, sending leaves in all directions, only making matters worse, every few minutes Dominic would hear a muffled "ugh!" from one of his companions as a tree branch smacked them in the face. The rain felt like needles to the skin, coming down harder and harder with every minute passed. leaving their clothes soaked through and ultimately weighing them down.

"Can you please stop asking that?" Carley snapped, already tired of Dominic's constant complaining. They were almost to the farm, but they were tired and starving, which slowed them down to a crawl.

"I wi- will once we get there," He stuttered and limped alongside Ben, who seemed to be hating this just as much as Dominic.

She groaned and muttered to herself, "Teenagers."

Fifteen minutes later, the farm came into view. Fields of corn stretched in both directions, with a lone farmhouse and red barn in the middle. It looked relatively peaceful, but Carley wasn't going to rule anything out. She signaled the two teenagers to stop, then ducked down into the ditch on their right so they couldn't be seen.

"Okay, we're going to sneak through the corn field, that way they won't see us coming," She looked at Dominic, "If you turn out to be right, we can get in and help the others to safety," The duo nodded in understanding, "Okay, let's move."

They crawled quietly through the corn field, ducking down so they wouldn't be seen through the neverending stalks, moving cautiously to keep their feet above the muck. The weather was getting worse now, thunder booming deafeningly as lightning shot across the sky above their heads; each roar felt like a gunshot; every bolt of lightning like a bullet whizzing past them. Dominic could hear the blood pumping in his ears, nearly muting everything else out. He breathed in short gasps as they inched closer and closer, trying to keep his heartbeat steady as the electric fence appeared in front of them, only a few feet away.

They halted as the groans of a walker pierced their ears. Pulling out his knife, Dominic signalled Carley and Ben to stay back, then scanned his surroundings for the offending zombie. _There, eleven o'clock._ As quietly as he could through the layers of mud, he sneaked behind the walker, kicking the back of its knee as hard as he could, and smiled as it fell to the ground with a satisfying sploosh of mud. In one smooth motion, he stabbed the blade into the back of its skull, piercing the brain. _Come back from that, I dare you._

A second later, Carley and Ben sneaked over, gazing past the fence as a tall figure appeared, coming out of the barn and looking back at them, "Carley!"

"Lee?" She called, surprise in her voice. _They weren't dead!_

"Ow!" Ben gasped from beside her as he stepped on a root.

"Shh!" Dominic and Carley hissed simultaneously before Carley returned her attention back to Lee, "Is everyone okay? You guys have been gone **WAY** too long!"

"They attacked us!" Lee replied, which made her eyes grow wider. She looked back at Dominic, eyes wide in shock. _How the hell did he know?_

"I knew it! I told you we couldn't trust them," Ben shouted, turning towards Carley, evoking a huff from Dominic.

"I was the one who told 'em, not you," staring him down

"Whatever man, we both knew they were bad news," Ben spoke softly, avoiding his gaze.

"Shit," Carley felt like slapping both of them right now even if Dominic happened to be right, "How many of them are there,"she asked, taking her attention off of the two teens.

"Two left." Lee replied.

"Where?" Carley added.

"Larry's dead. They chopped off Mark's legs and tried to feed them to us!" Everyone's eyes went to Dominic again, who sighed.

"Why do I always have to be fuckin' right," He knew why, but he didn't really want to get into it just yet.

"Maybe because you're-"

"For once Ben, please just shut up," Dominic interrupted, turning his attention back to Lee.

"Is everyone else okay?" Carley asked, ignoring the two teenagers.

"They still got Duck and Katjaa in the house and I don't know where the fuck Kenny is!"

"Alright, we're coming in to help," They started to move, but Lee's voice stopped them.

"The main gate is too dangerous, go around the fence and see if there's a back way in. I'll keep looking for Kenny…" He stood up and walked towards the farmhouse, but turned around to ask, "Do you have a weapon?"

"I don't leave home without it," Carley replied as she loaded her pistol, "Dom, Ben, stick close. And Lee, be careful," Lee nodded and headed towards the farmhouse once again, leaving the trio alone to walk the fence perimeter.

It wasn't long before they found another gate on the eastern side of the farm, leaving several dead walkers in their wake. They open the gate, but quickly ducked down as a man with a child appeared, walking out of the back of the farmhouse. Dominic assumed that it was Andy St. John and Duck, which meant Kenny wasn't that far behind.

Whispering, Dominic gave his orders, "Okay. Carley, Ben, follow St. John, make sure he doesn't hurt Duck. I'm going in to help Lee. Carley, if he so much as lays a hand on Duck, shoot him."

She nodded and cocked her pistol; her and Ben trailing after Andy St. John. When the coast looked clear, Dominic pushed open the gate and sprinted quietly to the farmhouse, sticking close to the wall as he pulled out his knife and followed until he reached the front porch. He jumped and grabbed a hold of the porch fence, pulling himself up with all of his strength. A second later, he dropped onto the porch floor, sneaking over to the screen door.

"Stay back! Don't do anything stupid!" He heard a strange, feminine voice yell from inside. A voice he hadn't heard yet, but sounded familiar at the same time.

"Let her go, Brenda!" Lee's voice yelled back, pleading the woman. Dominic wasn't sure what to do now; if he went in there, he risked getting Katjaa killed, or Lee. He was running out of options, not to mention Brenda has never seen his face before, it would freak her out.

"Fuck," He whispered as he sneaked down the porch stairs, cautious of every creak it could squeak. Checking his corners, he turned right; only to be met with a familiar, tall figure.

Pain shot through his skull as Dominic's face smashed into the ground, the blurry figure standing before him. Wiping the mud off his face, he peered up at his attacker, rifle barrel an inch from Dominic's forehead, "Fucking bastard," he spat, an unusual taste of earth and blood frolicking in his mouth.

"What the fuck? Who are you?" Andy's voice growled from above him.

"Your worst fucking nightmare," Dominic replied through pained grunts, looking up at Andy with hatred in his heart. Andy swung his rifle at him again: but Dominic was ready. He rolled out of the way, the rifle burying itself in the mud. As Andy pulled his gun out of the mud, Dominic turned and saw a glint of metal beside him. Seizing the opportunity, he scrambled forward, swiftly grabbing his knife from the ground and pushing himself to his feet; stabbing Andy in the arm, causing the older man to howl in pain and drop the rifle. Dominic began to back away from Andy before he noticed Duck behind the older man. _Shit._

Before Dominic could get to Duck, Andy picked his gun back up and trained it on him, grabbing a hold of Duck, "Don't you fucking move." His voice was like ice.

"Hey, no hard feelings right? I mean, you did hit me with your rifle," Dominic said steadily, his heart racing faster. For the first time in months, his blood ran cold, as Andy pointed the rifle at his head, the man's expression turning from one of anger to insanity.

"You fuckin' stabbed me in the arm, you piece of shit!" He snapped, tightening his grip on the rifle.

"Okay, okay. Yeah, that was a bit much…" He raised his hands into the air, dropping the knife, "Let's just talk this through then, okay?"

"I'm **DONE** talking!" Andy St. John roared, taking a step forward.

"Hey, hey. It's okay man, calm down," Dominic slowly shuffled closer to Andy, trying to see if he could reach out for the gun, but Andy aimed and fired at the ground between his feet. _Fuck!_

"I said don't move, asshole!"

"Let him go, god dammit!" Kenny's voice yelled from behind them. Andy hesitated, Kenny's voice breaking his concentration. Panicking, he swung his rifle at Dominic again, knocking the younger boy down to the ground, then tightened his grip on Duck, pushing the barrel against the back of the kid's head.

"Ha! That ain't gonna happen!" Andy's voice staggered between the line of hostility and insanity, jumping the rope with every syllable. "And because of this piece of shit over here," He shook his head in Dominic's direction, who rolled over in pain from the unexpected blow, "I'm inclined to just kill him now."

"Andy, don't!" Lee called from behind Kenny.

" **SHUT UP! I WILL KILL HIM! RIGHT. FUCKING. NOW!** " Andy snapped back; Kenny charged towards Duck, trying to grab onto his son, but in the next moment, found himself lying on the ground as Andy shot him in the side. Katjaa screamed and ran towards her husband.

" **DAAAD!** " Duck screamed out before Andy covered his mouth.

Raising his hands into the air, Lee walked a little closer to Andy, forcing all of the man's attention on him, "Andy!"

"Who the fuck do you people think you are?!" Andy spat, "Look at what you've done!"

Dominic slowly grabbed for his knife, holding his breath. He crawled forward slowly, now that Andy's attention was off of him. This asshole wasn't going to get away tonight; he would make sure of that.

"Calm down," Lee insisted calmly, oblivious to Dominic's plans.

"Calm down? What for, huh?! All we wanted was some goddamn gasoline!"

There was a deafening crack as Carley shot Andy, causing the man to let go of Duck as he reached for his now bleeding ear.

Dominic struck. Swiftly, he charged towards Andy, stabbing the blade into the back of his knee. With an agonizing scream, the older man fell to the ground with a thump, dropping the rifle in the process; Dominic crawled on top of him, knife in hand, raising it for the kill; the thirst for blood in his eyes. Before he could stab it through Andy's heart, the older man grabbed Dominic's hands, pushing the knife away, but Dominic fought back, pushing down as hard as he could. Roaring from the exertion, Dominic stabbed the blade into Andy's chest. He's never heard a more bloodcurdling scream.

Dominic pulled on the blade with such force, panting as the knife finally came loose, blood spurting everywhere. With one final strike, he drove the knife into Andy's forehead, his body went limp as his eyes turned from a look of pain to a blank stare. After everything was done, Dominic sat there for a few seconds, breathing heavily.

The farm went silent; thunder booming in the distance as the cold breeze washed over them. It felt as if a thousand eyes were watching him in shock. _I just killed someone… not a walker, but a living, breathing person… What have I become?_ He looked down at the dark red blood oozing out around his knife, leaving a puddle of crimson staining his fingers. He rubbed the warm liquid between his fingers, his face turning to one of disgust.

"You sick fucking asshole!" He shuddered and roared, unsure whether he was screaming this at the dead man below him, or himself.

Then, Dominic cried. He looked down upon the corpse he just slayed and wept. All of the pain and suffering he and his group had just gone through coming down on him like a weight of unbearable masses. He didn't know how many others this older man had killed, but now it is over. This was his life now: no more friends, or family. No more innocence or happiness. He was stuck in a nightmare that never ended; in a bloodthirsty world that was swallowing his very soul. His sobbing intensified as his thoughts went to those that he cared most about; his family, his best friends that he left behind, even the girl he had loved for over three years. They were gone, forever.

A hand grabbed Dominic's shoulder, bringing him back to reality. He looked up to see Lee knelt down beside him, a concerned look etched across his face. Dominic just scared everyone in the group with his ferocity, something that they have never seen from him before, but deep down he knew what he had done was right. Andy was a cannibal and a murderer; he killed Mark, and by association, Larry, not to mention countless other survivors. He wasn't allowed to live anymore.

"It's done," Dominic heard from behind his wall of anger and grief, "Let's go."

Dominic breathed in heavily and pulled the knife out of Andy's forehead, cleaning it off on the wet grass, "Yeah…" He accepted, "it's over."

Lee reached out to help Dominic to his feet. The younger boy accepted, and gazed back at the group, everyone was stone cold; faces pale; eyes petrified.

The look on Clementine's face got to him the most, a look of pure terror. One look he hoped he'd never have to see.

But he knew he didn't regret it. He killed a St. John, and he was proud of that.


	6. The Fallout

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 2 - Starved For Help**

 **Chapter 6: The Fallout**

The road back to the motel was dark and swampy. The rain had cleared up shortly after they left the farm, but the roads were a muddy mess, and with each step, more of the brown goop clung to their jeans like leeches on an animal. The wind had died down, but rustled through the trees every so often, making them shiver in their already soaked clothing. Morale was at an all time low, as if the night's events had drained them of their confidence. Less than a few hours have passed since Mark and Larry died and it weighed in their minds like a plague, and the brutal passing of the St. Johns eating away at their core; it left them hollow inside, stripping away everything except their sanity.

No one dared to look at Dominic. The boy hadn't uttered a single word since leaving the farm, alone in his own mind. Killing Andy St. John was killing his soul like a virus, eating away at his mind until nothing was left except an empty, heartless tomb. An eternal battle raged within him; one that he was destined to lose. Was it necessary to kill Andy St. John? Was it the **right** thing to do? So many questions burned within him and he had no answers, just guilt filling the cracks in his mind, expanding beyond logical reason. He murdered a human being. He's killed dozens of walkers before this, why was killing this one man making him feel like a monster? Andy was the monster, not him, yet deep inside he knew, he'd crossed the line, and there was no going back.

Not too far ahead of him, he heard Carley whisper, "Hey Lee, I'd say I'm sorry for leaving the motel unattended, but ya know…" She chuckled uncertainly, brushing her arm with insecurity.

"I'm glad you showed up when you did," He replied softly, his eyes blankly staring into the distance, "If you hadn't taken that shot at Andy, and Dominic hadn't…" his voice trailed off, leaving everyone in silence, only the wind making the slightest of sound.

"Were they really…" she paused for a moment, the events that have transpired playing through like some horror movie, "Killing people? For food?" Carley choked on that last word, filling her throat with bile.

"Yeah," He sighed, "And Clementine almost ate some…"

"But?" Her eyes grew wide as she stopped where she stood, looking past Lee at the horrible image crossing her mind: Clementine staring down at a plate filled with meat, **human** meat. She coughed down whatever fluid that started invading her mouth and looked back at Lee, who watched her.

"I **stopped** her," He stated with clarity, as if he had to prove it to her and himself, eyeing her for a few seconds, then slowly gazing at the ground between them, feeling angry at himself for not listening to Dominic back at the motel, "I can't leave her alone, Carley." His voice changed as a tear escaped his eye. "This fucking world now. It's hiding just, **unspeakable** shit at every turn," He dared to glance at Dominic, who followed the group lifelessly behind them, like a man who has given up, "I don't know how, or why, but if it wasn't for Dominic…. I don't know if we would've made it out of that mess."

"He had to damn near drag me out of the motel to come get you guys," Carley whispered, rubbing her arm awkwardly, "I thought he was just paranoid, but holy shit." She slowly glanced behind her at the young boy, whose head was bowed low and feet dragged through the mud, nearly slipping with every step.

"Yeah," He took one last glance at the boy before turning around to walk alongside Carley, whispering to her, "Once he's feeling better, we could ask him about it. Everything about him just isn't adding up, and I really want to know why."

"Me too," She said, looking up at him. She stared for a few seconds before quickly looking down and lowering her voice to a mere whisper, "He has to have a secret he's keeping close to his chest. He almost told me, before we came to get you." She shook her head in disbelief, previous events bogging her mind. "Probably would've too, if I didn't give up on arguing with him," She stopped as she remembered the camcorder Katjaa had given her, "Although," She lifted her head up, smirking at Lee. "Katjaa did manage to grab this while she was in the house, said it was with your stuff."

She pulled out the camcorder and held it out for Lee, who took it, "Yeah," he spoke, eyeing her as he examined the broken thing, "I found it while I was looking for the people who shot Mark," he looked back up at her, smiling, "Do you want it?"

"Why don't you keep it?" She said, punching him on the shoulder, "Sometimes it helps to have something you can document your thoughts on."

"Thanks," he remarked pocketing the camcorder and turning around to see Katjaa and Kenny over by a fence that ran alongside the road, the latter bent over in pain from his gunshot wound.

Kenny groaned as Lee walked over, Katjaa reaching out for her husband, "How are you doing?"

"I'll be fine," He griped, holding the wound,"I'm just, not as young as I used to be." He winced as he glanced over at Duck, who stood close to his mother, surprisingly quiet, also mulling over the events. He looked over at Lee, saying to his wife, "Hon, go on ahead and give me and Lee a second?"

She nodded and put her arm around Duck, pulling him ahead as the two men looked at each other with a look of anger and remorse. Kenny was the first to speak, "There's gonna be fallout."

"For killing Lilly's dad?" He replied, a harsh tone strengthening his words, "Yeah, I would imagine so." Lee rolled his eyes at his own brilliant sarcasm.

Kenny's eyes narrowed slightly before asking, "What do you think?"

"You **murdered** Larry," Lee spat, staring down the man he thought was his friend in the eye. Both men had stopped at this point, along with the rest of the group, except Dominic, who trotted right into Lilly's back, and was retorted with a hushed "watch it!"

"Fuck you man, you're alive because of me," Kenny's voice grew louder with each word, venom dripping like water, "Why didn't you have my back?"

"I saved your wife and kid!" Lee retorted, crossing his arms.

"No, I saved them!" The man was in Lee's face now, "By making sure Larry didn't kill **US!** "

Lee looked down at the ground in guilt, thinking back to that moment, then whispered,"I… I couldn't do it, Ken." Lee gasped.

Kenny clenched his fists, spitting angrily before marching off, "Well, maybe we should stay out of each other's way for a while."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Clementine coming his way, sullenly telling her, "Come on Clementine… stay close."

She looked up at him fearfully, "Lee… are those bad people dead?" She asked, looking behind her, as if they may be following her in the dark.

"Well, we didn't kill Danny, so I don't know. He might've been able to get away from the walkers, but I'm sure he won't be coming after us. As for Andy…" He peered at the ground, not daring to meet her eyes as images of Andy's brutal death played in his head. Dominic getting on top of Andy St. John, his eyes full of rage…

"I know," she muttered sadly, looking over at Dominic as he passed them.

"Alright Clem, let's go."

The wind began to blow harder, sending chills down their spines, and turning the mud to frozen, brown clots on their jeans. The group tried to hurry back to the motel, when the familiar beeping of a car pierced the air...

* * *

 _Darkness surrounded Dominic; a cold chill sprinkling through his body. He couldn't see a thing, and he felt paralyzed. Fog suddenly rose slowly from beneath his feet, and grass started rising across his vision. Little needles fell from the never ending, never beginning sky, crashing at the touch of his skin. Clouds quickly formed above him, only able to tell by the varying shades of black in the sky. Dominic blinked repeatedly, as little sparks ignited the horizon._

 _"The fuck?" His voice sounded like a distant echo calling from deep in a valley. Dominic glanced ahead, structures appearing through the mist; a fence, a house, a barn. He looked at the ground, noticing his posture had changed; he was on his knees, and a ghastly figure formed under him. Everything was cold. The needles nearly blinding him as he watched in horror as the figure solidified, turning into a familiar face. His eyes narrowed as his heart went from fear to sudden hatred. His face going from a look of shock to disgust._

 _"Come on, do it!" Andy's voice was still distant, like a whisper in another room. His voice grew louder with each syllable as the older man spat, "STAB ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"_

" _No," Dominic breathed. He couldn't, even if the man below him killed so many of his friends, he couldn't kill him._

" _You know you want to," Andy giggled, drifting into insanity as he smiled, "Because if you don't, I'll kill you, and everyone you hold dear. Starting with that little girl. Clementine, was it?"_

 _"No… shut up!" Dominic croaked, holding back tears._

" _Or… how about Lee?" Andy giggled, "Kill the nigger! Slice him limb from limb! It's what he deserves after he_ _ **murdered**_ _that senator!"_

 _"_ _ **SHUT THE FUCK UP!**_ _" Dominic groaned, wiping a tear off of his cheek._

 _"How do you think I should kill her?" He laughed, his voice raising in excitement, "cut her into pieces and eat them for dinner?"_

 _Dominic felt something growing inside him, a hot fuse fueling from his stomach as tears poured down his face, crying softly, "Shut up. Please, just… shut the_ _ **fuck**_ _up…"_

" _How about I stab her in the heart, and let her turn into a walker?" Andy screeched.  
_

 _The tears rolled as the fuse shortened to a nick, Dominic's face contorting from a childish sob, to a look of pure, ungodly hatred. "_ _ **SHUT. THE. FUCK… UP.**_ _" He warned, in a desperate, uninterrupted whisper._

" _I can make the nigger watch too!" He sneered with utmost insanity, "tie the motherfucker up! Watch him squirm as I beat the little bitch before I cut her!"_

 _The fuse sizzled down to the stub, the bomb inside of him primed. The tears stopped. Nothing was left inside of Dominic except for an empty, burning hate, "_ _ **SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU EVIL LITTLE FUCK JUST SHUT. THE. FUCK. UUUUUPPPPPP!**_ _" Dominic roared, pounding his fists into the man's face._

 _Andy laughed, ignoring the young boy's outburst, looking up at him as if thinking it over, "Oh! I got it! I will torture her! And I'll make you watch as I ra-"_

 _Dominic looked down at his fists, seeing red as his knife quickly formed between his fingers._ _ **His**_ _blade. He looked down upon the older man for the last time, blinded by rage, hatred, and grief._

 _"_ _ **YOU SICK FUCKING BASTARD!**_ _" He roared as he thrusted the knife down as hard as he could into Andy's chest; closing his eyes as the blade sliced through his lungs, straight into the old man's heart._

 _Dominic sighed; the deed was done. He sat there motionless, the rain boring into his skin like tiny shards of glass. He did it, he saved Clementine, and Lee. His smile faded as a soft cry reached his ears._

 _"Dom... Dominic..."_

 _His eyes flung open to a horrific scene: Clementine laid beneath him, his blade in her chest, blood seeping through her white clothes, slowly dripping onto the black grass._

 _"_ _ **CLEM-**_ _" He choked, tears falling like a waterfall, scrambling off of her, "_ _ **CLEMENTINE!**_ _"_

" _It… it hurts…" She moaned in agony, looking at Dominic with water-soaked eyes. "Why?"_

" _No… I…" He picked her up and held her in his arms, her hat falling into the blood-tainted grass._

" _I-I didn't…. do this….." He mumbled, his voice cracking with every breath he heaved, her face a grey pale as her eyes searched for something far above._

 _"_ _ **CLEMENTINE! Don't do this to me! Please!**_ _" He sobbed, holding her close. She slowly went limp in his arms, in too much pain to move._

 _"_ _ **NO!**_ _" He screamed, pulling the blade from her chest and throwing it far out of reach, as if it was cursed. He watched as it disappeared into the darkness._

 _"Why...Dominic...why?" Clementine cried, tears rolling down her face as she gazed up at him, "You said you'd protect me…"_

 _"I DIDNT DO THIS! I swear! I would never hurt you Clementine!" His voice was nothing more than a hoarse cry of pain._

 _"You're... a monster... Dominic..." She sighed as her eyes stopped searching. Her face ceased to feel pain. Her body went limp as he hugged the child he swore to protect. His face smeared with her blood._

 _He sobbed into her shoulder, screaming out for someone, anyone, to bring her back. She can't die…. she can't…_

 _In the distance, he heard the ground crunch, and he lifted his gaze to see a figure standing in the mist. His mouth drooped into a frown as he realized who stood before him._

 _"What….. what have you done?" The figure spoke in a familiar voice, fear and guilt consuming him as he realizes what he's done._

 _Dominic's gaze shifted from pain to a boiling anger as he spat his next words, "_ _ **We**_ _did this." He glared at past Dominic, his eyes glowing red with a furious rage._

 _"But…" The figure stuttered, trembling into full view as he saw the body lying in Dominic's arms. A black Doctor Who shirt stuck to his skin, black pajamas covering his legs. Specs hung over his eyes. It was Dominic, from the night before he entered this God-forsaken Hell. He moved closer, standing in front of Dominic and looked down upon Clementine's lifeless form. He looked back at his future self, who stared back with red, teary eyes._

 _"Why would we do something like this?" Past Dominic questioned himself, a tear escaping his eyes._

" _I… lost control," future Dominic whispered, the anger slipping from his voice, "this is what we become, Dominic. Murderers."_

" _No! That's not us," past Dominic shrieked, denying the harsh reality in front of him, "That_ _ **can't**_ _be us."_

" _Look at this!_ _ **We**_ _killed her! Just like we killed Andy!" Future Dominic snapped, pointing at the body before them. Past Dominic took an uncertain step forward, staring at the body on the wet ground._

" _No," he breathed, closing his eyes tightly, "I refuse to accept that."_

" _Like it or not, kid. This is who you become," future Dominic stated, the anger slowly surfacing._

" _No…." past Dominic sniffed, before falling to his knees, "I can't do this. I couldn't do this to Clementine…" He groaned._

" _ **NO**_ _!" He roared, the tears hitting him like emotional bricks to his chest. "_ _ **I DIDN'T DO THIS!**_ _" Past Dominic wailed, unable to accept what was in front of his eyes._

 _Future Dominic's anger peaked as he witnessed himself fall apart. His grip tightened around his knife as he thrusted it into the despairing boy._

 _He fell to the ground with a gut-wrenching thud, motionless as everything faded to black._

* * *

 **Day 97**

" **CLEMENTINE!** " Dominic shrieked as his eyes flew open, jumping up into a sitting position. Wheezing, he gazed at his surroundings, relieved when he realized that he was in his room at the motel. The sheets were glued to his skin, sweat pouring out of his pores.. The room was dark, aside from the faint glow of the moon outside of his window.

"Just a dream," He whispered to himself as he crawled out of bed, grabbing his clothes from the chair he laid them on the night before. After getting dressed, he opened his door, pacing over to the RV in the cool morning air. The sun hadn't come up yet, but Dominic could feel the mist in the air, and after the nightmare he had, he needed that fresh air. The motel had an eerie feeling at night; no noise, no movement, just silence. The only sound Dominic could hear was his heartbeat; quick, but simmering down. The RV was like a picture; nothing moved, everything still. He blinked a couple times just to check: still there. Same position.

As he approached, he found the rifle leaning against the RV and picked it up. A few moments later, he was in his chair atop the RV, staring out into the distance. The dream rattled him to the very core. His arms shook as he pictured Clementine laying there. _The blood_. He gripped the rifle in his hands, regaining control while pushing the image out of his mind. Usually he doesn't have nightmares, but he knew that murdering Andy St. John had affected him greatly, which was surprising considering all the horrific things he's seen in movies and video games; murder, warfare. He's surprised by how shaken up he was about doing it himself. It felt different, **real** , visceral even. It was nothing like a movie or a game. _I_ _ **did**_ _it…_

Hours passed as he stood guard atop the RV; the motel slowly came to life as the sun rose higher into the sky. At first, the pitch black atmosphere clung to the heavens as if it was scared to sleep itself, but after some time, the pinch of an orange horizon took it under its wing, guiding the darkness to safety. A pink hue dancing among the stars, singing them a lullaby, until the familiar yellow shape showed itself among the clouds. The birds sang a sweet tune, bringing the motel to life before Dominic's eyes. He watched in peace as the fluorescent ball of light rose higher into the sky, calling the animals to a new day; a fresh start. Senseless hours seemed to pass until he heard the signaling creek of a door, alerting him someone was awake; Katjaa. He eyed her as she avoided his eyes, silently trotting to the water hose on the other side of the motel to get a drink. He looked away, avoiding all eye contact as he slowly slipped back into deep thought. _The gun…_

Within another hour, the rest of the motel was up and rumbling around like a late night Motel 8 _._ Dominic sat reluctantly. He didn't even say a word when Ben asked if he wanted a break. No one questioned him about being up so early; they knew. It wasn't until noon that Dominic heard the familiar clang of a chair being set down next to him, turning to see Clementine crawling into it. She looked up at him, concerned for her friend.

"Hi," She smiled reassuringly. He turned away, bluntly ignoring her welcome. She sat there, staring at him, her smile slowly gaining weight as it drooped into a blank, curious line across her face.

"Hey," She tried again, uncertainly tapping his leg with her fingers. She kept staring, trying to break his "depressed" mood act. Dominic unconsciously fought her gaze, looking past the now bright green trees and into the eyes of himself; so helpless. So scared.

"Hey," he whispered, eyes glancing down from the trees as he erased himself from his thoughts, letting Clementine win in the process. "Feels like some serious deja vu. Us sitting up here talking, the forest dead quiet. I'd rather this than what actually happened yesterday."

She looked up at him as he spoke, her eyes growing sadder with each word, "Are you okay?"

He looked down at the roof of the RV, unable to meet her eyes, "I'll be okay, just right now…" His voice trailed off as he fought back tears. _My knife… Her chest…._ He pushed the thought away again "Right now, I just need time," he spoke under his breath

"Okay," She whined, crawling back out of her seat, heading for the ladder.

"Hey, Clem," He called, adding when she turned around to look at him, "I'm sorry… for scaring you. I did what I did to protect you, please remember that. I don't want you to get hurt.." His voice trailed off again as his thoughts went back to the nightmare, "Please forgive me?"

"I…" She started, not quite sure what to say, "I forgive you." She watched him for a moment, wondering why he'd say such a thing.

His mouth perked up into a small smile, "Thanks, Clem."

He sat there for a few more hours before coming down for lunch. He'd been up for god knows how many hours now, and his stomach growled at him like a famished monster. Lilly was handing out the rations again, much to Lee's appreciation; he never wanted to have to do it again. With the supplies they raided from the abandoned station wagon, they had enough to go around for a few more weeks. After lunch, Lee and Carley pulled Dominic aside.

Lee smiled reassuringly to the younger boy, saying "I know you're in a rough spot right now, Dom, but…. We need to talk."

"I know I shouldn't of killed Andy. It was stupid of me, but it had to be done," Dominic defended, his voice slowly raising, a tear hinting behind his eyes.

"No, no. It's not about that," Lee clarified as they walked over to the makeshift table they had set up underneath the RV's fabric canopy. "It's about… well," he shrugged his shoulders, looking at Carley for backup, "about how you knew the St. Johns couldn't be trusted."

"Oh, um…" Dominic hesitated, taken aback by the boldness of their question.. They looked at him in interest, waiting to hear what he had to say, but he froze, afraid of what was coming next, "I… um… well," he stammered.

"It's alright, Dominic," Carley reassured, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

"Okay. Well, this **is** going to sound a bit crazy, but just hear me out, okay?" They both nodded nervously, patiently waiting for him to go on, "Well, I knew about the St. Johns being cannibals, which is why I tried to stop you from going," He looked over at Lee, who continued to listen, "I was hoping that maybe if I stopped you from going, everything would be alright, and Mark and Larry would be fine. But, I couldn't stop you… Lee, I've seen the future, more or less. That's how I knew about you when we first met, and that's why I defended you at Hershel's farm." His face was going hot now, quickly trying to figure out a way to perfectly explain his situation without looking like a lunatic, or time traveler; but that's the thing: there **WAS** no way to explain this simply. He had to bite this Sci-Fi bullet right in the ass.

"You've… seen the future?" Lee asked, trying to wrap his head around what the boy was saying. It sounded insane, ludicrous even, but it actually made a little sense. Ever since he had met Dominic, the kid always seemed one step ahead of everyone else. He was the one that suggested cutting off Shawn's leg, ultimately saving his life; he knew who Lee was and what he'd done; and he knew that the St. Johns were not to be trusted, and guessed perfectly that they were cannibals. It was a little overwhelming, but deep down, Lee believed him.

"More or less... Yeah. My memory isn't perfect though, so there's some things I don't quite remember, but I know what's going to happen, for nearly two years from now," Dominic spoke as Carley stared at him, her eyes raising at every few words.

"Dominic... You're a good kid and all, but I find this hard to believe. Are you actually saying you're **from** the future?" Her tone was one of surprise and disbelief.

He shrugged, unsure how to answer the question, "Well, it depends. I have no idea what year it is. It was 2015 before I found myself here."

They both stared at him in shock and awe, as if Dominic's head was bursting with snakes, "Um, Dom..." Lee started, his eyes wide, "Last time I checked, the year was 2003."

It was Dominic's turn to look at them wild-eyed, "Um, well. That explains the fact there's not a single modern car around." He glanced around, finally understanding why there was an overwhelming amount of older cars in this universe.

"What do you mean by 'modern cars'? Do you mean that this shit **will** end?" Lee asked, exasperated.

"I don't know," Dominic wanted to explain this, but it seemed too difficult, "and I don't really know how to explain this. I guess, I'm not really from **here**."

"What do you mean you're not **from** here?" Lee asked, baffled by this young boy's ability to beat around a bush..

"It's **really** hard to explain, but… do you know of the multiverse theory?"

"Okay, before we go any further," Carley interrupted him, not wanting to hear this shit anymore, "How do we know you're actually telling us the truth? I mean, I trust you, Dominic. But this is **serious** , maybe you just dreamt all of this? We need proof." She looked around frantically, as if what she just said would cue the dropping of it automatically.

Dominic thought it over, trying to remember the events that will unfold soon, "Well, I can tell you this: things around here are going to get worse. Soon, bandits will start attacking us, looking for food and medicine. They don't have the St. Johns around to trade with anymore, and will need a new supplier. Of course, we don't have enough food and supplies for **us** , so they'll try to take it by force. Lilly and Kenny are going to get into even more fights, although you wouldn't need **me** to tell you that. Lastly…" His voice trailed off as he gazed at Lee and Carley, "The motel is going to fall, some time this week." He looked around, trying to guess what they would think of this. Lee stood there, sympathy in his eyes, though panic rose quickly; he believed him. Carley, on the other hand, her face screamed the word 'bullshit'. She almost looked as if she was disgusted at the young boy sitting in front of her.

Her nose raised as she said, "I can't fucking believe you."

"He's telling the truth," Lee defended him immediately, turning on Carley, "He's been right this entire time, don't discredit him so quickly."

"What?! Don't buy into his bullshit, Lee!" Carley snapped, in pure disbelief Lee would be so naïve.

"You don't have to believe me," Dominic shrugged, crossing his arms, "But you will once this week is over," He kept his eyes fixed on her.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

 **Day 103**

Shortly after coming back from the St. John farm, bandit raids became an everyday occurrence, leaving the survivors exhausted and the motel littered with arrows; the dumpsters protecting them covered in bullet holes. The group pushed on, defending their lot with everything they had, but the raiders kept coming, taking every drip of confidence they had with them. Kenny and Dominic were pushing for them to leave the motel, but Lilly refused, feeling her new home deserved to be defended. The survivors were low on food, ammo, meds, and everything in between, yet she wanted to stay. On another note, Lee wasn't sure who to side with; things were getting worse, and Dominic's predictions have been spot on; he found himself gravitating towards Kenny and Dominic's side, who were more than ready to drive out of there in the RV, but Lilly was the woman in charge. Everyone was on edge, waiting for the next bandit raid which never came, after three days of nonstop hell.. Since then, things have been unusually quiet, which set the group from determination to defend themselves, into revved up anxiety.. _What were the bandits planning? Why have the attacks stopped?_

* * *

For Ben, everything was going as planned. He grabbed the stash of meds he stole and headed out into the night, the crickets chirping in the distance, and the moon high in the sky. A cold breeze brushed the side of his face as he tipped towards the side of the motel, his feet lightly tapping the cement. Everyone had gone to bed nearly two hours earlier. He fumbled around and hastily clicked on his flashlight and cautiously walked, marking a sign on the wall for the bandits with pink chalk, a sign to let them know the stash wasn't on this side. As he began to walk back, the sound of a rat scurrying away made him jump, dropping the flashlight. It shattered, sending him into total darkness, and glass onto the pavement.

"Shit," He breathed and fumbled for the broken flashlight, inspecting it closely, noticing the light bulb had broken as well. "Fuck, Lilly's gonna kill me if she sees this…"

With no other options, he ran, forgetting about the glass, to the dumpster behind the motel and threw the shattered flashlight inside. Sighing with relief, he began sneaking back to the front, stashing the meds in a vent just outside the motel gates. With the deed done, he slipped back into his room, unaware of the chain of events he just set in motion.


	7. The Witch Hunt

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 3 - Long Road Ahead**

 **Chapter 7: The Witch Hunt**

 **Day 104**

"Clear," Dominic hissed as they rounded the corner, nothing but cement and buildings in sight; no figures ahead. As the trio rounded the corner, nothing was heard except the pounding of their feets on the cold asphalt. With the Everett Drug Store in sight, Dominic moved with ease down the sidewalk, halting with his back towards the brick wall.

"Let's get this over with," Lee sighed, tightening his grip on his sniper rifle.

The entrance to the drug store was blocked off by debris, and a crashed helicopter burrowed it's way into the roof. It reminded Dominic of a scene from an apocalyptic movie, similar to the one he's been living in for three months. They walk slowly across the road towards the store, looking for a surprise attack with each silent step.

Exhaling a deep breath, Kenny whispered as he gawked at the helicopter staring from above, "Looks like this is our lucky day."

"Yeah," Lee agreed, hands unmoving, "This might actually go smoothly."

"I wouldn't count on it," Dominic chimed in, his signature knife already in hand, waiting for any sign of movement.

"Well," Kenny added, shrugging at Dominic's words, "We deserve it after last time." Dominic glanced at Kenny, a gleam of hope in his eyes, before walking closer to the drug store.

They continued to search the area, peeking into abandoned stores along the road and down alleyways. All of them empty and abandoned, some even seemed to have been ransacked before their arrival. As they approached the drug store, Kenny's gunshot wound throbbed in pain, making him wince.

"Fuck," Kenny griped, rubbing his side as the debris came into full view.

A few steps later, he asked Lee, "You made up your mind yet?"

Lee looked back and asked, "About what," his eyebrows raising.

"When it comes to gettin' the hell out of Macon," Kenny spat, the anger rising in his voice, "I bet you're in the 'let's stay put' camp, considerin' Dominic and I have been pushin' everyone to leave."

"We should go," Lee sighed, "the motel's run its course and it's not safe." He shrugged his shoulders as he said it, the reality has slowly been setting in since the confrontation with Dominic and Carley.

"Well if that's what you think you should probably fuckin' speak up!" Kenny glared at Lee as a frown etched across his face, "Lilly's dug in."

As they finally reached the Drug Store, Kenny added, "Okay, just like last time. Over the rig, into the pharmacy and scrape together whatever supplies are left."

"We didn't leave much in there," Lee interjected, his eyes gazing up at the broken down eighteen-wheeler trailer in front of them.

"Well, we're out of options. Somethin's better than nothin'," He battled as he grabbed onto the ladder attached to the end of the trailer, slowly climbing up. Hoisting himself up, he looked over the trailer, but with his last step, the ladder came loose, falling off one of its hinges.

"Shit," Kenny breathed, looking down at the minor wreckage, "Now what," he whispered.

"You okay?" Lee asked.

"The ladder's come loose. I'm not sure how many more trips she's got in her," Kenny answered, staring down at the two men.

"I'm not sure how many more trips we've got in **US** ," Lee added, peering around at Dominic, who stood behind him.

"No kidding," Dominic deadpanned, taking a look at the broken ladder, "Well, looks like it's not going to support our weight. Perhaps we should use that army jeep instead?"

"Good idea," Lee agreed, taking steps towards the vehicle.

As they hooked the jeep's hook to the trailer, Kenny broke the silence, asking Lee, "Lilly's not doin' so good, huh?"

Lee sighed, a flashback of Kenny crushing Larry's head with a salt lick not even a week ago running through his mind, "It's not good. I'm worried."

"No shit," Kenny quipped, his eyebrows furrowing as he continued, "There's a lot to be worried about; she's gonna snap."

"And it'll be soon, with us pushing her to leave the motel so much," Dominic added as they tied the hook to the trailer, giving it one good tug to make sure it doesn't come loose.

The air went silent as Dominic walked back over to the jeep, flicking the switch for the hook; the rope winded itself back around as the car inched closer to the trailer before finally bumping against it.

"Clementine still upset with you for agreeing to take that stuff from the station wagon?" Kenny asked Lee as they hopped on top of the jeep's hood, his tone more casual.

"I think she understands," Lee thought, and winced as images of Clementine's upset face ran through his mind, with Dominic in the background lost in his own thoughts. The kid had come a long way since that night, mostly because of Clementine. Now, Dominic was mostly himself again, but Lee could tell when he had his own flashbacks; a blank stare arose from the dark-haired boy. He didn't move, just sat still, as if a voice or movie played in his conscience, and he listened to every word with fear and guilt.

"Hope so," Kenny replied as he frowned, "Not like we had much of a choice."

"Right, " Lee agreed as he grabbed Dominic and gave him a boost, the younger boy grabbing the ledge of the trailer as he pulled himself up, then reached back down for Lee.

As Dominic helped Lee up, Kenny spoke, a more concerned voice seeped through, "Duck was asking about that guy at Hershel's farm last night…"

"Really?" Lee grunted as he grabbed hold of the ledge and pulled himself up, "I wasn't sure it phased him."

"Of course it did," Kenny said, surprised.

"It was a scary situation for him; Shawn getting attacked by walkers, and us cutting his leg off," Lee conceded.

"Do we even know if that worked?" Kenny asked, sincerely curious.

"If we cut it off in time," Dominic added, "Then it worked."

"You're awfully confident about that," Kenny retorted, shooting a glare in Dominic's direction, "I'm still surprised you even suggested it."

Lee and Dominic exchanged a quick glance before Dominic replied, "I saw some serious shit before I got out of Atlanta, I was surprised too when I first saw it happen."

Kenny sighed as his shoulders visibly slumped, "I'm just worried that Duck'll always think it was his fault."

"Anyway," Dominic interrupted again, "Let's go get these supplies before-"

The trio covered their ears as a nightmarish scream pierced the air behind them, as if it followed them. They turned, a woman in tattered and bloodied clothing came running out of a department store, walkers surrounding her. She let out another blood-curdling scream; " **HELP ME!** " as if some unseen savior would jump out and save her, but all three men were frozen cold. " **HELP ME!** " she repeated, again and again.

"What the-" Kenny breathed, staring at the herd,"What the hell is that?! A walker?!"

"Walkers don't scream, do they?" Lee asked slowly, his eyes wide.

"Jesus," Kenny gasped, "I don't think so."

"They don't," Dominic interjected as his hand slipped down to the pistol in his pocket.

Raising up his rifle, Lee peered through the scope, "It's a girl. She's going to get us killed," he hissed.

"No shit…" Kenny's voice trailed off as a perfect plan formed in his mind, "actually…"

"Fuck, we gotta shoot her," Lee insisted, looking back at Kenny and Dominic, "Put her out of this misery."

Kenny shook his head in disbelief, "They don't know we're here!" He whispered.

"What do you mean?" Lee could hardly believe what this man was suggesting, "We could **save** her."

"It's a little late for that, Lee. She's already been bit," Dominic argued.

"I mean, we leave her alive and she draws them all to her, buying **us** time." Kenny interjected, both men ignoring Dominic's comment.

"Ken…" Lee started.

"Think about it!" Kenny insisted, "We're always worryin' about the ones we can't see. She stays alive and brings them all out of their holes!"

Lee hesitated as he looked from Kenny to Dominic, who added, "Leave her, Lee. We **need** to get these supplies."

"Of all the people I thought would try to save a girl's life…" Lee sighed, a tone of sarcasm rising in his voice.

"Some people can't be saved," Dominic whispered back, his eyes lowering as the thought of Larry and Mark passed through his already-guilty conscience, "It's best not to waste your time with them."

Rolling his eyes, Lee nodded, already regretting his decision as he stepped towards the edge.. They hopped off the trailer and rushed to the other side, the girl's screams could still be heard within the clamor behind them, making Lee's heart sink as each shriek pierced the trio ran towards the drug store's doors, distant screeches following them. A tiny tear threatened to drop from Lee's eyes as he opened the door, forcing himself to step inside. As the door closed, a gentle moan echoed, losing touch as the door finally shut. He just hoped that they made the right decision.

* * *

 _An hour later..._

As they approached the motel, the men noticed Ben sitting casually in the lawn chair atop the RV, rifle in hand. To Dominic, it was almost comical; did the boy even know how to shoot a rifle? He inwardly shrugged at his own question.

Once they were inside the gates, Clementine stood up and ran to Lee and Dominic, walkie-talkie in hand, "You're back!" She held out the radio as if it was the best thing in the world, "Ben found some stickers in a drawer and I put 'em on my walkie!" Clementine jumped, bursting with excitement at this new discovery.

"Hey sweet pea," Lee chuckled, "That's neat, I'll find you in a minute." With that, he hugged Clementine. They continued to Lilly's room just beyond the RV, and knocked on the wall, a second later, she answered the door.

"Looks like we got the kid on watch again," Kenny deadpanned, glancing at Ben over his shoulder, then quickly returned his gaze to Lilly, who had leaned on the doorframe during his quick look.

Rolling her eyes at Kenny, she turned to Lee, "What'd you get," She eyed him, noticing the backpack in his hands.

Frowning, Kenny continued, "We might as well leave a sign that says 'the men are gone, come rape our women and children,'" throwing his hands up as he spoke, baffled by her naïvety.

"Ha," She breathed, taking the rifle from Lee and setting it down on an end table just within the room, "So, what did you get," still eying the backpack.

"A shitton of stuff," Dominic piped up, crossing his arms as Kenny handed Lilly the backpack of supplies.

"We're **fine** , by the way," Kenny retorted, gazing out towards the lot, noticing Katjaa and Duck not far off.

She perused through the backpack's contents before commenting, "Nice work, this'll keep us going," She walked back over to them and finished, "If we carry on like this, we'll get through the winter here." She glanced over the men, approving her set of hunters.

"The winter?!" Kenny growled, anger seething in his voice, "We'll freeze our asses off here!"

Her eyes narrowed, "Because piling into an RV with you, after what you you did to my dad, is **so** appealing." The way she said this was enough to make Dominic gulp. It was calm, yet threatening. He shifted uncomfortably as Kenny shrugged it off.

"Why wouldn't it be? You know I'll do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe," Kenny countered.

"Can you two stop fighting for fucking five minutes?" Dominic snapped, "I'm sick of this shit."

"That makes two of us," Lilly seethed, her eyes unmoving as she stared at Kenny.

Lee sighed as reality struck him, "We have to go eventually, Lilly." He lit the match, now he had to wait for everything to burn.

She turned to look at him, "I know, Lee. I know. Eventually is different," she sighed as she realized that the tide was turning against her.

"There **is** no difference," Dominic retorted as Katjaa and Carley approached the room, clearly seeing the huddle.

"At it again, are we?" Carley cooed.

"Can it Carley," Kenny snapped at her.

"Don't boss people around," Lilly shot at Kenny, her voice like ice, leaning forward with her fists clenched.

"Come on guys, we're strongest together," Lee voiced, trying to calm everyone down, then added as he glanced at Kenny, "I know you think I'm on her side, but there **are no** sides, dammit."

"What about the food situation? What about protection? What about when this place falls?" Kenny asked, getting tired of being on the losing side, "Somebody's gotta be thinking about this shit," looking around in desperation, wishing someone would listen to him for once.

"How has this **not** been working? We have everything we need!" Lilly spat, glaring at Kenny through cruel eyes..

"'Cause of me, Lilly," Kenny deadpanned.

"We deal with shit as it comes, just like we always do," Lee attempted to defuse the situation as he exchanged a glance with Carley and Dominic, looking at him in desperation.

"And when fifteen bandits hop over that wall in the middle of the night?" Kenny countered, "What then? You just gonna deal with **that** ," he shouted, pointing towards the barricade as if someone was jumping it at that moment.

"Everything that happens to us is another excuse for you to pull this crap about leaving," Lilly quipped, placing her hand on her hip, "All I want is a week of peace; of not **hearing it**."

"Do you know how we got these supplies?" Kenny snarled, inching closer to Lilly, fists clenched.

"Don't you start," Dominic interrupted, stepping in between them, looking in their eyes with disappointment "Now's not the time for this shit."

Kenny ignored the boy, pressing on, "We got lucky and let a girl get **eaten** out there."

"What…?" Katjaa gasped from behind the argument, looking up at her husband in horror.

Kenny looked back at his wife, sarcasm dripping like rain in his voice, "Yeah! Some girl came screaming out of an alley, had dead hanging all over her." He slowly turned his head back to Lilly, meeting her exasperated gaze, "she gave us enough time to get everything we could out of the drugstore."

"And you just let her suffer like, what? Like **bait?!** God, what is happening…" Lilly shook her head in disbelief. The fact that Kenny would do this, and that Lee and Dominic went along with it, just sickened her..

"We got what we needed," Dominic shrugged unapologetically. He wasn't going to sugarcoat it, "It was unavoidable."

"Dom's right," Lee supported, "I don't think we could've gotten everything we did if we killed her," he shrugged, needing her to grasp the events that had happened.

"We've been putting our **lives** on the line doing these runs into the city," Kenny growled before shouting, "You wouldn't believe the shit we see."

"We all appreciate it, Ken-" Katjaa shuddered, attempting to calm her husband down.

"You should be **thanking** Lee for not shooting that girl," Kenny yelled, eyes raging with fury at Lilly.

"It's not so **easy** for him," Lilly countered, her hand jittering, desperately wishing she could deck him in the face.

Kenny sighed, waiting a moment and chose his next words precisely, "Look, Macon and its people aren't savable. It's not a town. It's full of walkers and the people who **were** left are dying and wanderin' out onto the streets." He pointed, his finger aiming at the streets, but secretly aimed at the whole city, with them in the center of a herd, wanting nothing but their flesh, "It's hell on earth, and it's comin' this way."

" **IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASIER OUT ON THE ROAD!** " Lilly screamed as she paced back into her room, the thought wildly crossing her mind to slam the door right in Kenny's arrogant face.

"How would you know?" Kenny hollered, following her.

" **WHAT I KNOW?!** " She scoffed, turning around to look at them once more, "I know **you're** not above murder! I know somebody has been **stealing** our supplies! That's right, **STEALING** , and I know the list of people I can trust here gets **SMALLER EVERY DAY**!" She pointed at them, every word jabbing at another soul, as if marking every one of them for suspicious activity.

She turned around once more, folding her arms, "Now everybody, **GET OUT**."

* * *

With the metaphorical door slammed in their face, the group find themselves back in the lot, each person frozen with the image of Lilly shrieking in their heads. Lee, however, broke the ice; "she's right, you know. Shit's just getting worse by the day."

"Whatever, Lee," Kenny sighed, wandering off, his anger subsiding into remorse "You've picked your sides," he whispered nearly out of earshot.

"Ken, that's not fair," Katjaa lectured.

"All I know is whenever this shit happens, I'm the fucking bad guy," Kenny growled, throwing his hands up into the air, "I'd like a thank you for once, **for once!** "

"Oof, things are coming to a head," Carley whispered once Kenny and Katjaa walked off, leaving Lee, Carley and Dominic alone.

"And it's only going to get worse," Dominic let out a sigh, turning towards them, "I'm going to go check up on Clementine, let me know if you need anything-"

His voice broke off, and with that, he strolled away, evidently shaken and thoughtful, leaving Carley and Lee alone. After a brief, and awkward silence, Carley spoke, "Well, I think you did good today," she shrugged, trying, but ultimately failing to force the atmosphere to change, "and I find myself thinking that most days." A thin smile arose on her lips as she gazed up at him.

Lee rubbed his arm, seeing how her eyes were looking at him, and he wasn't quite sure how to take it, "Thanks."

She held her hand up and examined Lee's face, making sure that he didn't get hurt while he was in town, "It's probably worth following up with Lilly about, what she was saying about missing supplies," she suggested after a brief moment, her hand going back down to her hips, "With her wound up the way she is, I don't want to see her paranoid." She stared at him, almost like a partner in crime.

"No question," He breathed, still feeling a bit awkward. _For a brief second there, it almost felt as if she was…_

"And I'd like to talk, when you've got a minute," She finished, blinking quickly as Lee nodded. Not waiting for a response, she walked off, heading up the stairs to the second floor of the motel, looking out at the faces below.

Lee sighed as he was left with the impossible task of finding out what the fuck is going on in the motel. Is someone really stealing supplies from them? Why didn't Dominic tell him about it? Was there more the boy was hiding? He said "The motel is going to fall, some time this week," is this what he meant? Lee shook his head as the hundreds of bodies, called anxiety, flew around his brain. He found himself at Lilly's door once again, knocking quietly before letting himself in.

Lilly sat on her bed, her head resting in her hands as she rubbed her temples, when Lee entered. Lilly looked up at him, her eyes suddenly puffy, whispering with a hint of guilt and a crack in her voice, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Lee exhaled, sitting down in a chair across from the bed.

She shifted her gaze, looking up at him, "Did you come in here to give me hell or to coddle me?" Her usual flat tone smoothing out the cracks.

"Well," He shrugged, "I wanted to follow up on what you said about stolen supplies."

Her eyes shifted from a look of guilt to one of hope as she started slowly, "Do you know what's going on?"

"I don't," Lee paused for a moment, "I just heard you mention it."

"Things are missing, and I could use your help," She pleaded, unsure who she could trust anymore, but Lee tried to help her dad, so she silently hoped that he could help now. "There's a traitor, somebody, one of us, out there," she spoke, her voice raising out of anger. "He or she or they have been taking things." She stood up, looking frantic as if her mind couldn't tell which way to pace as the eminent thought process kicked in.

He couldn't believe what she was saying; he would trust every single person in this group with his life, and he couldn't see one of them betraying the group so easily. He let out a deep sigh, waving his hand around as he countered, "Paranoia isn't going to help us," simply dismissing her suggestions, again.

Her gaze shifted to the floor, before finally stating, "I know what this sounds like, but I'm not paranoid. The count's off, and it's the good stuff: Antibiotics, oxy, fuck, anything with opium in it," her voice raising.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought; he has seen no evidence to support Lilly's accusations, "I see the count, and it's fine," Lee affirmed. He had gone over the supply count dozens of times, this was like any other.

"I keep my own. **That** one's getting messed with," She pointed to the other side of the wall, groaning as the reality of the situation beared down on her, "I'm a fucking mess right now, but I'm not stupid. I know what happens if I start a witch hunt."

"So you want **me** to start one," Lee gasped, eyebrows raising as he considered what she was asking.. Who could the traitor even be? The only people Lee could think of that would do something against Lilly was Kenny, or… Dominic. _No, couldn't be Dominic. Why would he steal from us? The kid's been protecting us from day one, it can't possibly be him. But… why didn't he mention this? Surely he would've known about the stolen supplies…_ He rubbed his temple as a headache flared. _Paranoia won't get you anywhere, Lee._

"I just want you to poke around," Lilly suggested, bringing him back from the paranoia seeping in

Lee sighed one last time, shaking his head. _This is idiotic._ "Alright, what's there to go on?" _Am I really getting into this?_

She rummaged underneath the bed, pulling out a yellow flashlight, "I found this tossed into the garbage," she replied in an even tone, nearly shoving the flashlight into his stomach as she returned a gaze.

Lee examined the flashlight closely, noticing that the light bulb and glass were both busted. _Someone must've dropped it._ He looked up at Lilly as she continued, "We don't toss out equipment; we fix it. You'd only try to get rid of a flashlight if you were using it when you shouldn't," she stared up at him, silently hoping he had any leads.

"Okay," Lee replied, intrigued by the broken flashlight, "I'll poke around a little bit."

"Thank you," She huffed.

* * *

The warm October sun nestled over the motel as the flaring emotions settled as evening approached. The last few days seemed to surpass as if the motel were a grater, and it rubbed rough until what it sought was gone; their sanity. With the struggling decision of leaving and defending, and the new thief and traitor running about with supplies, the motel was down to its last inch, tugging away at every slice it could muster. Paranoia now freely reigned over the survivors, picking at the nerves like a disease waiting to strike its host dead, leaving the remains to rot. Welcome, to a new type of Hell.

Though, this was Hell, a few fallen angels raised from the ashes; Duck and Clementine. While the adults prowled around, looking for either food or each other, all the angels wanted to do was play. Duck enjoyed chasing Clementine, hollering a blissful "wait up," every now and then, the sun potentially blinding their eyes or short gusts of wind sending a chill around their arms. Clementine, more reserved, would slowly slum into a jog, or downright stop and wait on her new friend, and encourage other seemingly relaxed playthings, like talking on her talkie, or drawing. Whenever they weren't running around or babbling to their parents (or for Clementine, it was Lee), the kids would go their separate ways; Duck would sleep in his father's RV, or cling to his mother, either for protection or bonding. Clementine would return to her spot on the warm cement, and continue a drawing.

"So, uh, what are you working on there, Clem?" Dominic asked as he sat down next to her, admiring the pictures she had been working on since her and Duck had stopped playing..

"It's called a leaf rubbing," She replied with a childish grin, "My teacher Miss Moore showed us how to do 'em when we went to the Botanical Garden once," she picked up the drawing, and showed him the leaf, "See? It's the same! Umm, kind of," she frowned as her tiny fingers smeared the edges of the picture.

"That's pretty neat," Dominic complimented, smiling at her rough sketches.

Her smile grew wider as she added in a sing-song voice, "I'll make one for you, too," a gentle giggle erupting through the words.

Dominic's head spun around when a door shut behind him, he watched as Lee walked towards the stairs to the balcony, heading up to join Carley. The thought crossed his mind if they were ever going to get together. He wanted them to when he played the game, but then… He closed his eyes as images of Lilly shooting Carley in the head raced through his mind. _No_ , he wasn't going to let that happen again. He wanted Lee to be able to be happy, and explore that relationship further, not have it taken away so suddenly like before.

He watched Clementine continue to work on her leaf rubbing, scrubbing with furious delight over the weathered paper, grinning from ear to ear (probably at the thought of Dominic's approval), before finally deciding to join Lee and Carley. He stood up, walking up the stairs just in time to overhear Lee blur out in surprise, "You really think people are ready to hear about me?"

"It's not a matter of ready or not," Carley corrected, "There's never going to be a good time, but there are going to be a lot of bad ones; right now doesn't seem like one of them." She leaned against the railing, gazing up at Lee with a look of hope surrounding her tanned face.

"She's right," Dominic chimed in as he approached, the duo quickly turning on him, "I would tell them, Lee. At least, some of them. No telling how everyone would react." Everyone stood in silence as Lee and Carley processed what Dominic was suggesting.

Lee sighed, leaning into the railing like Carley, leaving Dominic the only one standing upright. "Thanks for the advice, guys," he said after a while, looking towards Carley. "I'm gonna go look into this thing."

Carley nodded in understanding as he walked off, shaking hands and leaving Dominic to take his place next to Carley. They watched in silence as he began to talk to Clementine and Kenny, Dominic overhearing mumbled questions about the flashlight. When Lee walked off to the other side of the motel, Carley finally spoke up, breaking up the stalking game.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry," she spoke, her words sounding forced, "for not believing you."

"It's alright," He accepted shyly, shrugging it off, "I wouldn't of believed me either."

"I just think I overreacted," She sighed, turning to look at him, "You didn't deserve that."

"It's fine, Carley. Really," He insisted, a small smile on his face, "Apology accepted."

She smiled back, a slight laugh sounding before a thought dashed through her mind, forcing the smile away, "Do you…" she choked, "do you know anything about the stolen supplies?" She hesitated, holding her breath, fearing the answer he'd give her.

"Right, the stolen medicine," He sighed, not really wanting to talk about it. Sometimes, Dominic and Ben didn't get along, but he didn't want to reveal what he did to the rest of the group yet. If it came from his lips, they would never forgive Ben, condemning him until his gruesome death. "I believe they're hidden in a vent just outside the walls," He mused, giving her an eye before he watched Lee push the dumpster they use as a gate for the barricade open. "He's going to find it in the next few minutes," he warned, taking a deep breath.

"Do you know who did it?" She asked, standing tall. She inched closer to Dominic, as if pressuring him for answers, her tone changed from curiosity to concern with every step.

 _Fuck._ _I can't just tell her; they'll kick out Ben…_

"Dominic….." She pressed, now standing right beside him, glaring at him, her pupils turning to knives jabbing for this last, final clue.

 _Got it_. He sighed, "No, I don't. Never found out." He lied, looking at Carley, forcing himself to meet her pestering gaze. _Shit_. He thought, his lie sounded unconvincing to him, but she nodded in surprised understanding.

"That's alright," Carley muttered, her tone switching like a blade from mettling back to calm with a single flick. Her posture relaxed, as Dominic felt her breath leave his neck; she stepped back. "I can't expect you to know **everything**." He felt her eyes roll feet away.

 _Sometimes I wish I didn't._

* * *

Lee gripped the bag of medicine in his hand as he pushed open Lilly's door, again. His heart was heavy as well as his eyes as the truth sank in;someone stabbed them in the back, and he had no idea **who** did it.

Lilly glanced at him as he came in, the bag unnoticed, "You haven't come up with anything, have you," she groaned, zoned into her palms, her shoulders weighing heavily as the world perched on top.

"I came up with this," he deadpanned as he tossed the bag into her hands, "It's got a bunch of meds in it. It was in a grate on the outside wall, and there's a sign on the other one." His tone shifted through hurt to pain, to disgust in one sentence, roughening as what happened set in.

Her eyes went wide as she perused through the stash, "Holy fuck," she gasped.

"Yeah."

Anxiety and blood-fueled rage set in her mind as she tried to decide what to do. She frantically looked around the room, as if the answer was hidden on the walls. Lee was a blind spot in her blurry surreal mirror as the panic only incremented.. _Who the fuck would do this to us?_ _ **WHY**_ _the fuck would someone do this to us?_ "Okay," She murmured, slowly looking back at Lee, his face coming into focus. "We line everybody up. **Everybody**."

She shook her head as she pictured each person stealing supplies from them, " **Somebody** is killing us. Stealing from that supply is the same as slipping into your room at night and cutting your throat while you sleep." Her voice turned frantic as multiple scenarios popped in her mind. "You **die**. What is the difference? What if Clementine gets sick and we don't have what we need-"

Her voice trailed off as movement just outside the window caught her eye, "What the hell?"

A voice boomed outside, " **YOU DON'T FUCKING STEAL FROM US!** "

Lee jumped where he stood, "Who the fuck is that?!" He shrieked.

He gazed out the window, a man in white with a black ski-mask was walking towards the door. Behind him, Lee could barely see three figures hovering over a small group of people crouched on their knees. The first was similar to the first bandit; white, but with sunglasses and a hoodie over her head, and holding a crossbow. The third man had a trucker's hat and a worn green jacket, gripping a handgun to what seemed to be a woman's head. Behind the bandits, Lee gasped in horror as the dumpster closing the gate was tipped over, the contents strewn on the asphalt..

"What do we do?" Lee breathed as Lilly ran to her rifle at the back of the room, "Lilly?!" He hissed.

"They're gonna start kicking in doors any second," Lilly hollered, reaching out to open the back window, the masked man now looking towards his captives.

"Lilly what the hell are you doing?!" Lee hissed, rushing to the back window and gripped her arm firmly, pulling her back. "You're going to get us killed!"

She slapped his hand away as she turned to look at him, "Just, stall them."

"What?" He raised his eyebrows at the command.

"Just keep them talking," She snapped before slipping out the window, "Do whatever it takes to stop him from pulling the trigger," She gave him one last firm look before she sneaked to the balcony stairs, rifle in hand.

Behind him, he heard the bandit's voice boom again, " **YOU MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF YOUR LIVES**!" Maniacal laughter followed.

 _Shit._

* * *

Dominic held his hands hard against his head as he heard the bandit bark to one of his friends, "Enough of this bullshit! Drew, start putting your boot to these doors!"

How did he find himself in this situation? Carley and he had been talking on the balcony, overlooking the lot, when a loud boom had made them glance. Three bandits had gained entry to the motel's lot, all brandishing weapons. "C'mon," Carley hissed at Dominic. The two turned to run and corner the motel, out of sight, when a high pitched scream pierced his ears. Dominic turned just in time to see a man in a black ski-mask slap Clementine, and drag her to the center of the lot.

"Dominic!" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper in his head as he rushed down the steps, knife in hand. With an arm in the air, ready to strike, he stopped, cold.

"Not so fast, dipshit," The man in the ski-mask mask coined. Dominic stared, seeing red as a barrel pressed against his forehead, the cold metal of death and peace sent a shiver down his skull.

"Drop it," The man snapped. The knife clattered to the ground, the bandit in the white hoodie kicking it away.

"Over there," the bandit gestured, towards the center. Dominic slowly raised his arms, and gently walked, standing beside Clementine.

"Dom-" Clementine whispered, tears staining her face.

"Quiet!" The bandit roared, hitting her again. Dominic turned, landing his fist onto the black masked man, and kicking him in the kneecap, watching him crumble towards the ground. Dominic ran towards the hooded bandit, swiftly knocking her sideways, and taking jumps for his knife. He turned, ready to kill, when he suddenly saw black.

 _Oh shit._ Carley watched as Dominic was hit over the head by the ski-masked man's gun, and dragged the boy back to the center. Carley crouched down to her knees, and crawled to the steps, watching in pain as her group was dragged, one by one, to the center of the lot. She stopped before descending, as Katjaa was thrown to the side, starting a line. Carley whined in agony as she realized what these murderers were planning; execution.

Carley strategically descended the steps, as she kept her eyes glued to the barrels that could just as quickly be pointed at her, then her friends. She glanced over towards the dumpster, seeing it tipped, bullet holes smeared on the other side. With a simple glance, she saw the bandits were distracted. She tiptoed towards the dumpster, seeking cover. Hugging the brick wall of the motel, she creeped past the ambush, and managed to see a clear headway to the dumpster. Heart pounding, she took one last look.

"RUN!" It was Kenny, mouthing the word, seeking desperate glances at her like a possible savior from his potential execution.

"What you lookin' at?" The hooded bandit asked, kneeling down and pinching Kenny's shirt in her palms.

"What d'ya mean?" He stammered, daring not to turn his eyes from this woman. The bandit glanced back, seeing a figure dart for the dumpster.

 _I think I made it._ Carley looked around the corner of the dumpster, seeing her friends, now in a line, with guns to their heads.

 _Shit._ She leaned back, pressing her back to the cold metal frame of the dumpster. She attempted to control her breath, she closed her eyes. _Weapon._ She opened her eyes, looking feverishly around the asphalt. She reached into her pockets; nothing.

"Fuck!" She hissed, taking another glance. She froze, the wooden blade pressing against her temple.

"Didn't think ya'd get out of it that easy, did ya?" She cackled, the bandit pressing the arrow deeper into the girl's temple, then cocked the arrow into her crossbow.

A single tear slid down her cheek before everything went black.

* * *

Lee stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath, eyes closed.

 _God help me._

He opened the door, stumbling over each step, walking into danger; he walked into the fire.

" **SHUT THE FUCK UP!** " The masked man shouted, aiming the gun at the now whimpering Carley. He hustled closer to her, grabbing her face and forced her to look into his eyes.

"I said hush," his voice was rough, but soft. The mix that only called for murder. Today was Carley's judgement day. "Or I will blow your fucking brains out, and make her watch," he spat, pointing at Clementine in the back of the line.

"Leave her alone!" The bandit let go of Carley, laughing maniacally as Dominic raised himself up, staring at the older man.

" **I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR BULLSHIT** ," he barked, leaving Carley to cry. He stood in front of Dominic, raising his pistol again.

"I think we've _**ALL**_ had enough of you." The bandit in the black ski mask cocked the pistol, and placed the barrel against the back of Dominic's head.

"Wait," a hushed voice came from ahead of him. The bandit looked up, gun ready.

As Lee came into view, the ski-mask bandit pointed his gun at his head, barking, "Hold it asshole!"

Lee's hands slowly raised as he spoke in the calmest tone he could muster, "Take it easy…"

Dominic looked up at Lee, as their eyes met, Lee continued, "We have more supplies. We can keep the deal going."

The bandit shook his head, "Too late shithead! We ain't givin' second chances!"

"I-It was a mix-up! We'll make it worth your while!" Lee pressed, evoking looks from his group.

"I'm listenin'..." The bandit said, narrowing his eyes, his gun unwavering.

"We'll leave you everything," Lee offered, slowly moving towards the bandits, "Just let us walk out of here."

"So you can try to pay **US** a little visit later?" The bandit scoffed, laughing as his finger twitched against the trigger of his gun, "Fuck that!" The bandit glanced around at his partners, whom were laughing along.

His voice boomed once again, "All right, I've had enough of this shit!" The leader precised his aim, ready to pull the trigger. "Drew, take these motherf-" A deafening crack pierced the air as the leader of the bandits dropped to the ground, his gun sliding away from him. A pool of blood quickly emerged from his skull. A look of shock permanently etched on his face; the blood flowing onto the hot cement.

 _NOW!_ Carley and Dominic moved in sync. Carley reached forward and grabbed the bandit's discarded pistol and shot the bandit in the green jacket far off as Dominic grabbed a hold of the hooded one, wrestling for her crossbow. Seeing a weak point, he swung, striking with a solid punch, the hooded bandit was on the ground. Seeing it in the distance, he scrambled for his knife just a few feet away. Turning over just in time, he stabbed his knife into the bandit's chest. She screamed as blood poured down on Dominic, covering his face. He struggled and rolled on top of her, pulling the knife out of her chest and thrusted it into her forehead, more blood seeping through the grey hoodie; turning from grey to a dark crimson. As he stood up, he heard a rustling beyond the woods. He turned around just in time to see a horde of bandits rush out of the woods, coming straight to the motel.

Seeing the RV, he dashed out behind a pile of grey cinder blocks beside it. Pressing his back to the rough landscape, he saw Carley not far off. Ignoring the sounds of guns, he reached out, gesturing her to help. Carley took a few shots as she stood up from another dead bandit, and ran towards Dominic.

Dominic leaned out from the cinder blocks and threw rocks randomly into the forest. With luck, he was met by an array of cracks and whizzes as he screamed, pressing his back against the cold stone. Seconds later, crunching sounds came from behind him, he turned around and see Carley standing behind him.

"Are you okay?" Carley shouted over the bullets in the air.

"Yes," Dominic hollered, feeling air pressing hard on his left shoulder.

As bullets whizzed by, Carley began firing at the bandits from behind the cinder blocks. Over his shoulder, Dominic saw Ben run and cower beside him, "Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

"Calm down!" Dominic roared at the boy, peeking out to see Lee and Kenny hiding behind the RV.

"We gotta get out of here!" Kenny yelled, pressing hard against the RV's metal wall.

"No shit!" Lee hollered back, forgetting the bandits for a moment to give Kenny an agitated look.

"Get those bastards!" Kenny yelled as he gave Lee the rifle he was holding, and ran to get the RV started, "Cover our people and get them to the RV!"

Dominic still didn't have a gun, and as bandits poured into the motel like zombies, he had to rely on Lee to make an opening for them. Ben was hyperventilating, repeating madness over and over beside him like a frightened child; "I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

"Ben, for once," Dominic seethed, slapping the boy in the face, "Shut the fuck up and focus!" He glared at the terror-stricken boy as more bandits poured into the motel like rats, edging closer to the group.

The shocked look Ben gave him was priceless, almost enough to make Dominic laugh, but he did as he was told. Dominic sheathed his knife as he looked up and watched Lee take out bandit after bandit, waiting for Kenny to give some kind of "move it!" signal.

A moment later, the way was clear. Lee yelled for them, waving his arm at the group, "Now! Get over here! Hurry!"

Dominic has never run faster in his life. As the bullets whizzed past, he didn't even care. He didn't see a bullet, he didn't see a bandit, or a forest, or even an RV. All Dominic could see was a door. _That fucking door means freedom._ A brief second later, he was jumping inside the RV like an olympic champion, only faintly hearing Ben yell to Lee, "Man, you saved our asses!"

"Get inside!" Lee roared back, ignoring the compliment and ran to the opposite side of the RV to help Katjaa, Duck, and Clementine get to the RV. It didn't matter; as he killed more bandits, walkers started eating the rest. _Shit._ He forgot; the dead returned. He shot quickly, only making sure the bullet would hit. One after another, the cocking and cracks in the air became a deadly rhythm, and he became the DJ. He shot and killed the rest of the bandits and waved for Clementine and the rest to run to him. Clementine sprinted towards him absent-minded, while Katjaa and Duck cowered in fear behind stone cold cover. Glancing only to see a blurred image of a figure waving for her attention, Kajaa grabbed Duck and began pushing him forward towards the RV, wanting to follow in tow. A step into the escape, she fell, her head meeting a wooden box beneath her. A walker crawled on top of them, teeth ready to bite.

"Shit, Katjaa!" Lee yelped as he lifted up the rifle again and shot the walker in the head. It's head thumped against Katjaa's as the bullet dug its way into its brain.

"Aw, Christ!" He heard Kenny yell as the man came running out of the RV to aid his wife and son.

Kenny jumped from the RV, running to his wife and son.

"Come on!" Kenny roared, deliberately pushing his kin through the bullets and smoke, feeling the bullets pierce the air around him. As they approached the RV, Lee reached and pulled Duck into the vehicle, following with Katjaa next. Kenny turned around after he jumped back into the RV, seeing flashes of gunshots on the balcony. Lee roared from the RV, "Lilly! Get in the RV!"

"Screw her!" Kenny yelled back, holding his wife as she wept, "let her stay!"

Now, a continuous stream of walkers were entering the motel. Carley got out to help Lee hold them off until Lilly could get there. As the area cleared out, Lee screamed to her again, "Lilly! Last chance, get down here!" He turned, looking towards the RV. He wanted to be there: _**get out.**_

As Carley and Lee jumped inside, Lilly jumped the steps and sprinted across the motel, just barely able to jump onboard before Kenny smashed his foot down on the gas. Closing the door, they said a silent goodbye to their home.

* * *

"Kat! Jesus, are you okay?!" Kenny yelled to his wife in the passenger seat, who held Duck in her arms.

"I'm fine," She croaked, "I'm fine!"

From the back, they could hear Ben gasping into his hands, "Oh shit oh shit oh-" He looked up, red eyed, to see Lilly scowling over him. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Everything's fine, Ben," Carley soothed from beside him, wrapping her arms around him, trying to calm the boy down.

"Everything's **NOT** fine," Lilly spat as she stared at Carley, hatred empowering her face. "We need to figure out how this happened; we just lost **EVERYTHING**!"

"Well we're lucky as shit to have this RV!" Kenny called back from the driver's seat, getting involved.

"And nobody died," Carley countered.

"Kat's head is split open!" Kenny snapped, looking back at the group for a brief second before concentrating on the road. He checked the rear view mirror to see if anyone was following them as they sped off.

"I'm fine!" Katjaa whined, holding a cloth soaked with blood on her scalp..

Lilly continued to glare at Carley and Ben, whispering with a harsh tone, "Somebody **in here** caused this." She gazed around the room, mentally putting "guilty" tags over everyone's head.

"Settle down back there; the bandits have had our number for weeks!" Kenny called again, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Lilly, calm down," Dominic reasoned, looking up at Lilly from behind her. "We'll figure this out once we're safe."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" She roared at him, "Somebody was **working** with them! Whoever it was was slipping them our meds. They didn't get their last package, so they attacked!" Her face was red and her fists white as she clenched them as if she was choking a smurf.

"Seriously, calm down back there, that's nuts!" Kenny shouted over the arguing.

Lilly ignored Kenny's remarks and continued her fiery rampage, "Lee found a bag of supplies hidden outside the wall."

Lee sighed as he gazed at everyone, as if that would signify it as truth. "It's true."

Lilly's shot her attention towards Carley, starting **her** interrogation, "So, Carley, is there something you want to say?" Her eyes narrowed into slits as she crossed her arms.

"Please," She scoffed back.

"We have to get it out of you then?" Lilly insisted, knowing she's found the traitor. She did a quick sweep around the room; looking for either someone to back her up, or give evidence as to why she could kill Carley. Now.

"Lilly, seriously. Lay the **fuck** off. It's obvious that it wasn't Carley," Dominic spat, stepping in between the two, "So leave her the **fuck** alone."

"Thank you, Dom," Carley huffed, shooting metaphorical knives at Lilly with her eyes.

"She can fight her own battles, Dominic. Unless there's something going on here that implicates you both," Her eyes were now locked with Dominic's, who stared back in defiance.

"Don't be ridiculous," Carley scoffed once more.

"Like, look," Ben mumbled, looking between Lilly and Dominic, constantly averting his gaze towards the ground. "Maybe we should, uh, vote, or something like that."

"Shut the fuck up, Ben," Dominic snapped at the boy, who physically backed away from Dominic, deeper into his seat.

"Vote? What?" Lilly laughed.

"Just, look, Carley's a stand-up gal and... maybe... this was all just a... mistake," Ben stuttered as Dominic and Lilly both stared at him in disgust.

"Lilly, stop waving the finger at everybody," Lee interrupted, stepping into the hot room. "We know something's going on and we can get to the bottom of it if we keep our heads," He glared at her as he spoke.

Lilly's death glare now rested upon Lee, "I **KNOW** what we found." She threw her hands up before returning her hatred towards Ben and Carley.

"I know, Lilly. I know." He whispered.

Ben, who didn't know how to shut up when he was told, continued to babble, "Nobody was stealing **ANYTHING**!"

Lilly leaned in closer, whispering in such a menacing voice that would scare even the bravest of souls, "Was it **both** of you?"

His eyes went wide, "What?"

"I've seen you two together, was it **BOTH** of you?!" She switched her judgemental eyes upon Ben and Carley, proud of her abilities of deduction.

"Look, just let me out. I didn't do it, but I don't like this; I don't like where it's headed," Ben stuttered, frantically looking for a way to the door.

"Lilly, leave him alone!" Dominic snapped, forcing himself between Ben and Lilly once more.

She shoved him out of the way, and stared at Ben once more, "Look me in the eyes, and tell me you didn't have anything to do with it."

"Lilly, lay off of him," Carley chimed in.

"I-" Ben sputtered as the RV shook violently.

"Shit!" Kenny hollered as he struggled to remain in control of the RV.

"What's going on up there?!" Lilly screeched back.

"I hit something," Kenny called, turning to look at them, "We gotta stop!"

"All right," Lilly muttered as she stared at Ben once more, "Well, we can deal with this now, then."

The RV slowly came to a stop on the side of the road. Lee stood at the door and called out to Kenny, "Is it safe?"

"Should be," he grunted.

"Everybody out!" Lilly roared as she pushed Lee out of the way, opening the door.

"Lilly…" He gasped, but the threatening look she gave him stopped his sentence short.

 _She isn't going to…?_

" **OUT**!" She shouted again.

The group got out, one by one, heads hanging in either fear or anger, possibly both. Lilly barked orders; the drill sergeant. They were ordered to stand in a circle outside the RV on the side of the road. She began marching up and down the row, pulling Kenny and Lee in their not-so respected positions. Every few seconds barking at anyone who dared speak. Dominic felt his stomach tie itself in knots as he realized where things were going. _If I don't stop her, Carley is going to get shot._ Dominic shuddered at the thought.

Lilly examined their surroundings to make sure they were alone before squatting down to look at what they ran over, "Kenny, the RV has some surface damage but there's a walker trapped underneath." Her voice was nothing but nails on wood.

Kenny left the line and bent down to see the walker moaning underneath the RV, "God dammit. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled." He glanced around the RV and up the road for any more walkers, spying none.

Lilly turned back to the group behind her, "You know what, we shouldn't just kick you out, we should hear what everybody thinks," she nodded at her own monarchy pulling itself into an ordered democracy by her own strings.

"I think you're overreacting," Dominic shot, "Stop treating them like they're already guilty, you don't even know **WHO** did this." He couldn't contain his shaking, but he didn't want this **again**.

Ben stood next to him, yelping, "I think you should chill out!"

Carley shook her head before screaming at the dictator, "I'm **not** going to take this! You can push Ben around but you can't push **me** around."

"There's no way it was Carley," Lee interjected, "It was somebody else. It could've even been someone sneaking into our camp." Lee wished Dominic would do something, just somehow stop the madness overcoming the group.

"That's ridiculous," Lilly scoffed, looking at him in shock, "That's what you think?" She stared him down, stepping closer to her rebellious minion.

He risked a look at Dominic and Carley before replying, "Yes."

"Okay, fine then," Lilly shrugged, turning away to look at Kenny, "Kenny?"

"I don't know! Fuck! Just, stop, would ya?!" He pleaded, attempting to rip away the walker's corpse from under the RV.

"Well your vote counts for you and Katjaa," she hollered, giving a smirk to the both of them.

"We don't need all these **votes**!" Ben shouted as tried to breathe. "What do I have to do for you to **trust** me? I'll do **ANYTHING**!" He looked around at the group, wishing someone, **anyone** , would fight this battle for him.

"Ha, the hell you will," She sneered.

"He's broken, Lilly," Lee whispered to her.

"I can see that," She muttered, looking at him, "Do we need any more evidence than this?!"

"Fuck evidence!" Carley shouted, "Stop treating him like this!"

"Shut up, Carley," Lilly groaned, "I've heard enough out of you!" She turned back to Kenny again, asking, "Kenny, what's it going to be?"

"Just give me a damn minute!" He shouted.

"Ben," She started again, staring at the boy, "You have until that walker is dealt with to tell me it was **her** and not you."

"Stop this, you're torturing him!" Carley screamed, a tear threatening her eye.

"Leave him alone, Lilly!" Dominic shouted, his fists clenched.

"No!" Ben yelped.

" **BEN**!" Lilly snapped, red hot.

"Lilly, stop!" Carley barked.

"This is about trust," Lilly seethed, looking from Carley to Ben, "and I've never trusted either of you."

"Lilly, lay off," Lee reasoned in as calm of a voice as he could, making Lilly look at him in disdain.

"I can't Lee, you know I can't," She whispered.

"Thank you, Lee," Carley said to him before turning back to Lilly, "Please, listen to him."

" **Please** don't kick me out of the group!" Ben begged, tears streaming.

"We won't!" Lee yelled in defense of the boy.

"Tell me, now!" Lilly screamed, getting into Ben's face.

Kenny pulled as hard as he could on the walker, the undead corpse ripping in half. He cheered, "There! I got 'em!" he waved the corpse in his hand before dropping it on the ground.

"Please, let's just get back in the RV," Ben pleaded, shaking violently and tears smothering his face.

"That's not happening!" Lilly snapped.

"You think you're some tough bitch, don't you?" Carley mocked, crossing her arms and took a step forward, "Like nothing can hurt you, but you're just a scared little girl," She paused for a second, "Get the fuck over it. Take a page from Lee's book and try helping somebody for once." She glared at Lilly, disgust and hatred filling her throat.

Lilly stared at her with the telltale look that Dominic knew immediately. _This is it._ As soon as he heard Kenny smash the walker's head, Lilly took out her gun. Time felt still as he pushed Carley out of the way, shouting, " **NO!** "

He reached out for the gun, attempting to grab it from her, but it backfired, and her finger pulled down on the trigger. A splitting crack deafened everyone's ears as Dominic slumped to the ground, blood pouring out of his shoulder. The earth went silent as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His mind was suddenly numb, and tiny specks pixelated his vision. Lilly's eyes went wide as she stared down at him, a gasp echoing into the air. Her face slipped from hatred to mortification as she stepped back. His eyes grew heavy as he blinked, seeing a blurred Lee tackle the familiar figure into the side of the RV. He blinked one last time, opening them to his room… Then they sealed shut; the neverending blackness engulfing him.


	8. Moving On

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 3 - Long Road Ahead**

 **Chapter 8: Moving On**

* * *

" **DROP IT**!" Lee growled, digging harder into her skin as he pinned Lilly against the RV. The gun fell to the ground with a soft clank, her eyes never leaving Dominic's motionless body.

"I… I…" She stuttered, glancing at the glock in horror and disgust. "I didn't mean…" She froze as tears threatened to flow over, Dominic's body unmoving.

"Dominic!" Clementine screamed, nailed to the RV door frame as Kenny and Katjaa rushed to his aid; dropping to their knees and examining the gunshot wound.

"Holy fuck!" Kenny gasped, eyes searching the younger boy with horror before looking to his wife, "We need to get him in the RV! Ben!" The frightened boy's eyes darted to Kenny as he heard his name, "Go see if there's any medical supplies in the RV!"

"Ken, he's going to bleed out!" Katjaa screamed, frantically looking for something to cover the wound, finding nothing but blood soaked asphalt and rocks. She pushed down on the it with her hands instead, trying to slow the bleeding.

"Just, help me get 'im inside!" He screamed; the duo picked the boy up with a grunt, hustling him in and laying him down on the couch inside by the window. Carley watched the scene in horror, unable to comprehend what was happening.

Lee slid his attention back to Lilly, who stared at the ground, motionless. Kenny stormed out of the RV a second later, yelling, "Get in, we're leaving this crazy bitch!"

"I didn't mean…" she croaked.

"Shut up," Lee seethed, his eyes narrowing as he sought for death row. "You're not coming with us."

His words pierced her ears but she didn't turn away. "But…" She stammered, searching for any sign of dark humor in his eyes. "But I'll….. _die_ out here," she quivered, flabbergasted by his words.

"I don't care," he breathed, gently shaking his head as he let her go, picking the gun up from the bloodstained grass.

"You're a murderer, Lilly," Kenny accused, pointing his finger at her as if he was the judge, and Lee was the executioner, "We can't have you with us." His words spat as if it were the sentence themselves.

She scoffed, " **I'M** a murderer? You've had Lee with you this **whole** time!"

" **I DON'T CARE WHAT HE DID BEFORE!** " He shouted, his finger transforming into a fist, wailing furious in the sky.

She stood for a moment, starstruck, as what he said spread through her mind, "...You know?!" Her voice shook, rising from terror to absolute bewilderment.

"Yeah, he told me," Kenny shot, "I don't give a shit! If we keep you with us, how long until you shoot **me**?!" His arms raised as he spoke in exasperation.

"I was trying to protect all of us!" She defended, "I didn't even mean to shoot him!" She paused as the image of Dominic's lifeless form dropping to the ground replayed in her mind. Her eyes lowered to the bloodied cement, "I don't have anything left," she weeped.

Kenny's eyes bored into her like a vulture before finally stating to the others, "Let's go you guys."

Lee gave Lilly one last look as Kenny marched off into the RV with Clementine in tow. Lilly's eyes watered as tears welled up within them. Lee shook his head in contempt, turning away from her for the last time. Carley stared at him as he walked past, her mind in overdrive.

As he approached the door, Kenny's voice echoed from inside the RV, "You found one? Good job, Ben. Good fucking job!"

Lee gestured for Carley to go in first, not saying another word as he slammed the RV door shut behind him. He gave one last glance as Lilly stumbled into view of the window; body limp as she slowly turned away, her already broken hard-ass attitude falling deeper in the moon's light. She swiveled around as the sound of walkers pierced the air, a cry creeping through her throat.

"Lee, take over here; I'm gettin' us outta here," Kenny interrupted, handing Lee the box of supplies Ben had found. He sat down in the driver's seat and pressed hard on the gas pedal, distancing them from Dominic's would-be killer. He stared in the mirror as Lilly dashed into the forest.

Katjaa examined Dominic and sighed with relief, "Looks like the bullet went right through; there's an exit wound on his back." She eyed the gaping hole in the young boy's back with a mixture of disgust and horror.

"Does that mean he'll be okay?" Kenny asked as he stared at them through the rear-view mirror, scared of the answer as a gleam of hope beamed in his eyes.

"Lee, help me bandage it," She stated, ignoring Kenny's question and holding out a roll of bandages they found in a first aid pack to him.

Lee did as he was told, grabbing the tan bandages from her. Anger boiled within him like a fire as he applied them onto the boy. _She was going to shoot Carley… if Dominic hadn't stopped her._ His thoughts ran as his hand shook with anger and hurt as it boiled over the edge, spilling out onto his body, turning his knuckles white. _How could she do this to us…_ He sighed, trying to release the pressure, a tear squeezing through his rebellion.

Katjaa looked over Dominic once the wounds were bandaged, making sure the blood wasn't seeping through. She sighed in relief, "Looks like he's going to be fine." She stood up and brushed the blood off her hands, desperately trying to cleanse herself as if the last few months have turned blood from a needed fluid, to a poisonous drink.

Behind them, Clementine watched in terror, her mind unconsciously trying to process that, for a brief moment, she nearly lost one of her best friends. How quickly it all happened sent a shudder down her small back..

"Help me lay him up," Katjaa heaved, glancing at Lee as the older man grabbed a hold of Dominic and assisted him into a sitting position.

The RV plunged into silence as they breezed past the surrounding woods, Lilly fading into an already distant memory throughout the group. Dominic's head slumped against the seat; the only noise emanating from him being pained breaths. Everything had gone wrong since the moment they came back from the supply run into Macon. As it now stood, they have kicked out their leader, and almost lost Carley and Dominic. Katjaa returned to the front to be with her husband and son while Lee packed away the medical supplies. Ben laid his head against the table, the events that have transpired weighing heavily on him. Carley sat opposite Ben, her eyes staring into empty space as the image of Lilly brandishing a gun imprinted on her brain. Clementine hesitated before plopping herself down on the couch next to Dominic, staring at his resting body as she cautiously patted his arm. Lee packed away the first aid kit into a cupboard next to the RV's kitchen sink.

A few minutes later, Katjaa called out from the passenger seat, "Lee, a word please?"

 _Uh oh…_ Lee exchanged a glance with Carley and Clementine, who both peered at Dominic with worried glances. Lee slowly paced his way to the front, silently preparing for the worst as he looked over at Katjaa, who held Duck in her arms. The younger boy stared lifelessly at the ceiling, his eyes gently darting across his eyelids. His body lay, the skin tone rapidly changing from tan, to green, to a discolored grey. Duck's mouth nearly lay agape as he wheezed in his mother's arms.

"What's up?" Lee asked as he gazed at the sick boy.

Kenny and Katjaa peered back at him, their eyes glistening as tears began to well up. "Is uh," Lee stammered, "Is Duck feelin' alright?"

She lifted Duck's shirt slightly, a bright red bite mark seemed to glisten on his side. Lee's eyes grew wide, "What the fuck…" He whispered.

"Happened during the raid," Kenny mumbled, forcing his eyes to never leave the road.

Lee sighed as the inevitable question rose from his chest to his lips, "What's the plan then? We've never had a bite victim in the group before." He stood his ground as he waited for Kenny's rebuttal.

Katjaa turned her head towards him, "I'm going to keep an eye on him and see what I can do," her voice lowered as her gaze went back to her dying son, "from a medical perspective, anyway," she grumbled.

"We keep the same plan unless something changes," Kenny growled, "East." He took a sharp turn, as if his words were spat with the wheel.

"Guys…" Lee started, but was cut off by Katjaa.

"What else is there to do?!" She snapped, holding a furious and helpless expression before taking a moment to regain her composure, "We thought you should know," she countered in a whisper.

Kenny finally turned to look at Lee, his expression turning from remorse to guilt, "Important to stay honest with each other," he sighed as he returned his gaze to the endless road ahead.

"Anyway," Katjaa shifted, "if you could tell Clementine, we would appreciate it."

Lee nodded slowly as he trotted towards the other room. It was going to be a difficult conversation to have, but he knew that it was unavoidable. He returned to the couch where Dominic and Clementine sat, silently slumping down into a space next to her. She wormed her way against him as he wiggled his arm around her. He sighed as he attempted to gather his thoughts, before finally getting the courage to mumble out the cursed words.

"Duck is bitten."

She looked up at him in confusion, "Huh?"

"He got bit by a walker trying to escape the motel," Lee clarified, peering back down at her as her gaze dropped to the floor.

"I…" She mumbled, tears welling in her already puffy eyes, "I don't feel good…" A brief moment later, she looked back up at him, "Is Dom going to be okay?" She gave her friend a fleeting glance before returning Lee's gaze.

"He's going to be fine, sweet pea," Lee reassured her. His eyes instinctively went to the unconscious boy next to them. His frown deepened as regret tore at his stomach like a starving walker.

They sat in silence as trees flew by in the window. The whole world died around them, ceasing to exist. The road they drifted on reflected into the clouds that danced passed them through the looking glass. To Lee, it actually felt peaceful for once. Ben and Carley sat straight as silhouettes of leaves brushed the window and past the RV.

Lee took in a deep breath before finally breaking the silence, "I'm glad I have you." He looked into the little girl's face.

A smile crept across Clementine's face as she piped up with joy and gratitude, "Me, too." She let out a soft giggle, "I heard you two outside my treehouse that day and thought about dropping a hammer on your head."

Lee's face twisted as the image of the hammer he used to kill Clementine's undead babysitter crashed atop his skull, "Hmm… that's nice." A nervous chuckle escaped his lips.

Her eyes locked with his, "I didn't though."

He laughed softly, "Thanks."

Clementine smiled before laying her head against him, slowly falling asleep.

* * *

" _ **NOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

 _Dominic screamed out as his eyes flew open. Panting, he gazed up at a familiar white ceiling. His hand subconsciously grasped his shoulder, his eyes growing wide as he realized the bullet wound was gone. He hoisted himself up, gazing around the room, inspecting every inch as if a walker would appear out of thin air. Warm blankets embraced him as the room slowly came into focus. The familiar poster-covered wall stood beside him, accompanied by a large desk and monitor just below the line. Along the left side, a television stood atop a table, posing with its famous blank image. A closet was packed just beyond the foot of his bed, and at the other foot, a small end table. As he continued to gaze around the room, he reached over for his glasses. Without a second thought, he slipped out of bed, his footsteps muted like a silent movie._

 _He marched towards the closet, throwing on his favorite Crown The Empire baseball tee and a pair of black jeans. A moment later, he turned towards the door. As he reached out for the doorknob, he jerked back as his vision blurred, turning into nothing._

 _A quick flash appeared before a picture froze the scene. Soft laughter reverberated within the towering walls of what used to be a busy living room. Dominic's best friend, Josh, sat on the couch, holding a controller in his hands as his fingers reached for the buttons. His other friend, Steve, slouched in a chair on the adjacent wall, holding an iPad and gazing into his bright computer screen. The wooden floor reflected a ceiling fan, frozen in a moment of time, hovering over the center of the large room like an eternal guardian. The television glowed on a single frame: a car idling on a busy highway, the surrounding vehicles blurred, as if flying past. The scene suddenly began to burn away as Josh and Steve's merry voices echoed into the eternal flames._

" _Dominic, wake up! It's like five o'clock!"_

 _Another picture rose from the ashes; the color burned from the darkness. Dominic's door lay ajar, revealing an empty bed and a bright cellphone silently vibrating on the end table. Clothes lay on the desk chair, awaiting their master. No light shone from the ceiling, leaving the only light source filtering between the cracks of the curtains. Josh stood in the doorframe, his beanie-covered head hung low, his long hair brushing his shoulders and surrounding his face, masking his goatee beneath. He laid his head against the hinges, staring into the room with a blank stare, as if he blamed himself for his friend's disappearance._

 _The scene dissolved and twisted as his name rang out in the mist, "Dominic! Where are you?!"_

 _The picture faded into nothing before flipping, revealing a blank polaroid. Color slowly rose from the edges, revealing Steve and Josh huddled against a black door._

" _Life just hasn't been the same without him," Josh whispered, slumping and falling into the darkness, his eyes closed tight as he fought back tears._

" _He'll be back," Steve's hushed voice sighed, his eyes wandering towards the desk on the other side of the room, "But if he doesn't, I call dibs on his PC." Steve shrugged as he tapped the PC._

 _The photo ripped in half as another scene bursted into the foreground. A rusted brown door slowly opened, revealing Steve's face in the sunlight, his mouth agape underneath his brown beard. Josh stood behind him, a hand on the older boy's shoulder, gazing at who stood just beyond the door. The concrete walls holding the hinges in place glistened white under the summer heat._

 _The scene froze; the image of their shocked expressions shook as it faded into the darkness for the last time. Their voices echoed in some far off place, "Dominic, is that you?"_

* * *

 **Day 105**

"We got somethin' up ahead," a voice called out as Dominic groaned in pain. His entire body ached; his shoulder burning in unbearable agony. His eyes fluttered as his blurry vision revealed two silhouettes sitting beside him. _Where am I?_

"Ugh," He gasped, clutching the wound on his shoulder.

The silhouettes jumped up from the couch as his voice pierced the air, the taller one sighing in relief, "Thank God you're okay."

"I don't feel okay," Dominic mumbled as his vision cleared. Lee stood before him, his face softening with concern, while Clementine reached out to Dominic, grabbing his hand. To his right, Carley and Ben sat at the table, staring at him in awe.

Carley leaned forward, examining the boy before asking, "Do you need anything, some water, or...?" Her voice broke off as her eyes landed on his shoulder, swelled and bruised.

"I'm fine, Carley," Dominic grunted as he stretched out, gasping in pain when his wound flared in retaliation.

"Stay down," Lee's calm voice echoed through the burns as a rough hand guided his shoulder back to the cushions, "Don't overexert yourself."

Just beyond them, Dominic could see Kenny behind the wheel, looking back at them, "I'd hate to break up the party so early, but you guys should see this."

Lee sighed, walking to the front of the RV, "What is it?" His voice died as he saw the view. What looked to be a twenty-car train blocked the road completely. Rust dripped from the mainframe, but still glistened white below the residue. Wires peaked near the base mechanism, with the black rails still heavily connected to the tracks. A door was opened, revealing a mixture of empty beer bottles and open boxes. The striped warning bars were still high in the air, the crossing sign showing a similar pattern of aging. A forest added a nice finish to the rural picture, surrounding the scene, and creating barricades on either side, rendering it an impossible dead end.

"Now we gotta deal with this," Kenny groaned, holding his head low. A thought rushing through his mind to blow through the barricade, before dismissing the ludicrous idea as he glanced at his wife.

Kenny eased his foot on the brakes, forcing the RV to a standstill. A moment later, Lee, Carley, Ben, and Kenny stepped out. Behind them, Dominic leaned against the doorframe, trying, and failing, to hold back the pained grunts.

"Is there any way to get around it?" Ben asked the trio beside him.

"Doesn't really look like it," Kenny shrugged, hands on his hips and looking over at the boy, "On foot, maybe; can't really afford to do that now." His eyes glanced at the young boy in the doorframe before returning his gaze to the mess before them, noticing the twigs strewn across the ground, and the possible hazards Dominic or the kids may have.

"This seems like a safe area," Lee suggested, his eyes moving from one side of the road to the other, "All this brush will stop anything from creeping up on us."

Behind them, Clementine, Katjaa, and Duck hopped out of the RV. Duck clung to his mother like an upset son. Clementine gazed at him, a tear escaping her eye. She turned around as Dominic's hand rested on her shoulder.

"Let's go sit down," He whispered to her, hoping he could spare her the tears. He didn't have to tell them about Duck, he could tell they already knew. He mentally kicked himself for not helping Lee save Katjaa and Duck yesterday at the motel.

Dominic and Clementine huddled over to where Katjaa and Duck sat; beside a dead tree with a fallen log. Dominic carefully rested on the wooden plank as Clementine took a seat beside him. Dominic glanced over to see Katjaa giving her son a worried look, before returning his gaze with a hopeful grin. Duck inched closer to his mother, groaning as his face seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the crests of his skull. Clementine watched without a word, only laying her head on Dominic's uninjured shoulder.

To his right, Dominic overheard Ben say to Lee, "Why don't you and I go look around?"

"Yeah, everyone else relax," Lee added, walking over and getting down on one knee in front of Clementine, "Clem, stay close to Dominic, okay," he pleaded, casting Dominic a smile. His eyes gave way to something, like a sorrow for not grasping Lilly's intentions sooner.

She nodded in understanding as Katjaa insisted from the tree stump she and Duck sat on, "Lee, if you come across anything to drink, if there's a dining car or something, I think Duck's a bit dehydrated." She looked into the glassy eyes of her son, knowing already he may never return the familiar gaze.

"It's a freighter, hon," Kenny mumbled from beside Dominic before looking up at Lee, "Be careful in there." Kenny held his gaze for a moment before looking off towards the RV, images of his son full of life ripping from his hands as he slumped down on the log, a helpless sigh escaping him.

"What, you think there might be something dangerous inside of an abandoned locomotive?" Lee mused as he turned towards the train. "Hadn't crossed my mind."

As he walked away, Kenny turned to Dominic, eyeing his gunshot wound. "So, uh, you feelin' alright?"

"Well, my body's aching, and it feels like a thousand needles are piercing my shoulder, so, not exactly," Dominic mumbled as his gaze dropped to the dirt and twigs on the ground, a lonely ant breaching the sand above him. "I'm just thankful to be alive at this point, though." He looked up at Kenny and gave him a cheerful smug, then returned to the advocate insect scanning his shoes.

"Yeah, thought we were gonna lose you there for a minute," Kenny muttered, forcing every word in his desperate vocabulary. His eyes fell as the horrifying scene played in his head once again. For a brief moment, Dominic almost died. For a moment, so did Dominic himself. If he ever saw that woman again, he would not be responsible for his actions. It was unbelievable.

"Without all of you, I probably would've," Dominic shrugged, taking a quick look at his new _family_.

"You're the one that's the goddamned hero, though. I don't think I could've done that," Kenny added, poking the young man with his knuckles; it still amazed him that Dominic risked his life for Carley. What shocked him the most was that Dominic was the only one that saw her even brandish the gun.

Before too long, Lee returned to the group, approaching Katjaa and Duck with a water bottle, "Here, I found some water."

Katjaa grabbed a hold of the water bottle, the conversation around them completely forgotten. She smiled, "Ah, thank you, perfect." After a brief pause, she stated into the air, as if suddenly oblivious to Lee's presence. "He's allergic to bees."

"Is that right?" Lee asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's all I can keep thinking about, like somehow that matters," She mumbled as she held onto Duck tightly.

"It doesn't." He whispered.

"I know," She sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek as they both avoided the impossible. "Well, I don't, but you're probably right."

"Anyway," Lee sighed, his eyes wandering back towards the abandoned trained, "Let me know if anything changes here."

Carley hugged Katjaa as she silently began to cry into Duck's pale shoulders. She cautiously patted the broken woman's back, uncertain her comforting presence would do any good.

"It'll be okay…" She whispered.

"No it won't," Katjaa whined, switching from Duck's now soaked shoulder to Carley's chest.

As Lee walked away from the scene, Clementine and Dominic's sad demeanor caught his attention. He shuffled over to them, kneeling beside Clementine. "Hey sweet pea, you okay out here?"

Her eyes immediately went to Duck, mumbling in hushed whispers, "I don't think Duck feels good."

"Me neither," Lee responded just as quietly.

"The kid doesn't deserve this," Dominic interjected as his eyes passed between Lee, Clementine, and Duck, "No one really deserves this." His words seemed forced as he winced.

Lee's frown deepened as he stood in front of the teenager, pulling the boy aside, speaking in mere whispers, making sure Clementine was out of earshot. "Did you know all of this was going to happen, Dominic? The raid? Duck? _Carley_?"

Dominic raised his head; his gaze bearing deep into Lee's eyes. "Do you really want to know?" The boy whispered, the unbearable sadness within him seeping out like blood, brandishing the dark holes around his eyes.

" _Did_ _you know_?" Lee insisted, gripping the boy's shoulder. He trusted Dominic, but things have gone to shit since his predictions, and he _**knew**_ that Dominic was holding things back, _**STILL**_ holding things back.

"Yes." Dominic sighed, releasing the tension between them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He stared at the younger man, his eyes glistening of urgency. _Please tell me…_

"Because it would've only made things worse, Lee," Dominic huffed, tears threatening again as his mind raced back to the moment the bandits arrived at the camp barely a day ago, "Because foreknowledge is dangerous." He hissed, unable to withstand the pressure cooking inside his throat. "The fact _I_ have to live with it is hard enough; I don't want it to consume you too…" His voice trailed off as he wiped away a tear. They now stood a foot apart from each other; like two sides allowing themselves to become allies with different reasons for the same goal. Two halves of a story seaming together. "I have to live with that knowledge _**every single day**_. Would you want that? To know who lives and who dies?" Dominic glared at Lee, slowly feeling the envy burn in his heart knowing that Lee won't suffer like him. "Knowing that even the ones you care about the most are going to die?" His deadpanned voice cracked as tears began to fall, "Carley _would've_ _died_ Lee. Lilly _shot_ her. Could you imagine how much that would've destroyed her, knowing that before her death?"

The duo grew silent, except the sobbing of the young man. Lee stared in awe at the boy, as if he was seeing for the first time the weight he had bearing on his chest this entire time. _He was_ _broken_. _He has been broken since the St. Johns, and he's only going to break more._ All the knowledge weighed him down like an anchor, plunging the boy straight down into the depths of his own personal hell.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the bandit raid, Lee," the man wept, "but there's just so much **shit** going on, and so much shit to come, I can't keep up with _everything_."

Lee knelt down and embraced the soldier, "It's okay, just, let me know if something's going to happen that we can change, okay?"

"Okay," Dominic sighed, wiping the tears off his face and looking at the older man.

Lee turned back towards Kenny, everyone oblivious to their conversation as they talked amongst themselves. He still had the map of the train routes in his hand that he had completely forgotten during his conversation with Dominic. Strolling over, he gave it to Kenny, stating, "Ben and I found this in the boxcar back there." He gestured towards the boxcar immediately behind the engine.

Kenny gazed at the map in light interest, until it finally hit him, "Whoa, is this what it looks like?" His eyes bright as he glanced at Lee.

"I think so," Lee answered.

"These tracks lead right to Savannah…" His voice trailed off as an idea dawned in his head, "Holy hell, can you guys see about moving that thing? We could have something here."

"Yeah, we're on it." His gaze returned to Dominic behind him, staring down at the ground with sad eyes, "Mind helping me out, Dom?"

"Sure." He muttered, the lump in his throat still present.

* * *

A solid twenty minutes of work later, the train was ready for takeoff. There was only one problem remaining, the train was still attached to a derailed car somewhere down the line. The job of freeing the lost wheels rested solely on Lee's shoulders, with Dominic's help. They marched to the back of the train, finding the derailed car directly behind the boxcar they found the map in earlier. Using a wrench he found in a compartment on the engine; he wedged it between the pin and the latch holding the train to the wreckage, grunting as he pushed down hard, forcing the pin out with a satisfying click.

With the train free, Lee yelled in triumph, "Hey Kenny, we're loose!"

"I'd be surprised if he actually heard that all the way up there," Dominic deadpanned as they hopped back into the train car, sneering in silence.

"He probably didn't," Lee shrugged, his eyes going to the mattress laying at the back of the car. _Had someone really been living in this thing? Perhaps I should ask Dom-_

"You touch any of my stuff?" A deep voice grumbled behind them, forcing the duo to swivel around quick. Dominic laughed softly when he realized who the man was. _Oh Chuck, my have I missed you._

The older man gave him an odd look before strolling up to Lee, staring at him almost menacingly.

"I took the map of the train routes…" Lee muttered, inspecting the hobo before him. He wore a brown leather jacket and a pair of tattered black jeans. His silver hair was matted with a thin stache. For living in wreckage, he was skinny, with a petite beer belly. Yet his eyes were the most drawing portion of character, as he held no emotion as he stared at Lee.

"That's fine, you can have that," Chuck shrugged.

"Really," he groaned, inspecting the man again, half sure he was about to brandish a bizarre weapon, like a rubber chicken. The only thing worse was the fact Dominic seemed to not mind at all. In fact, it looked as if the boy happily _embraced_ this strange character. _The people you meet in the wild…._

"Yeah, I got 'em all up here," The man smiled and aimed his finger at the side of his head. A brief moment later, he turned to look at his 'home', sighing, "I guess it's no worse for wear." He shrugged as he turned back to Lee and Dominic, reaching his hand out, "Name's Chuck. Charles if you're fancy."

"Pleasure to meet you, Charles," Dominic cheered with a fake British accent, shaking the older man's hand, "My name's Dominic, and this is Lee." He gestured to the man beside him, finally noticing his displeasure.

The older man laughed softly, "I like your style, Dominic. That your crew outside?"

"Yeah," Lee affirmed before Dominic could make him any more uncomfortable.

"And the guy up in the cab?" He glanced towards the front of the train.

"Him too."

"I saw you walking through here and thought about scaring the pants off ya," Chuck said with a devious smile.

"What?" Lee gasped, eyes wide and fingers clenched.

"But I couldn't force myself to do it."

After a brief pause, Lee blurred, "You're still kinda freakin' me out." His eyes narrowed as if positioned for attack.

"Train folk'll do that," Chuck shrugged, "Already met everyone outside; they all warmed to me right quick in direct sunlight."

He hopped out of the train card without another word, heading over to where the rest of the group sat on the fallen tree. The duo followed shortly behind. Lee flashed a look at Dominic. _You know this guy?_

 _Yeah._ Dominic winked before strolling off.

Clementine rushed over to the two men, beaming. "You met Chuck," she squealed, jumping.

"Yeah… we did," Lee muttered, still unsure about the older man.

"It's so nice to meet someone normal for a change," Katjaa interjected from her tree stump, actually taking her eyes off of her son and examining this new fellow with a smile on her face.

Lee opened his mouth to speak, but Clementine cut him off, "He gave us candy. Ben, too!" She rushed back over to her spot on the log, eagerly listening to everyone around her and munching on her leftover taffy.

"And none for me, yay." Dominic mumbled as the younger boy exchanged furtive glances between the group, along with Lee.

Lee walked over to Chuck, semi-apologizing. "Well, welcome," the two finally shook hands before they both sat down on the stump, a conversation erupting.

"Thank ya," he chuckled as he rested.

"You met Kenny?" Lee asked, glancing towards the engine of the train where Kenny continued to work.

"Sure did," Chuck affirmed, "Man shares my love of the road," a smirk creeped up on the older man's face as images of before the apocalypse whispped through his conscience.

Lee let out a dry laugh, "That's for certain." He looked over towards the engine, finally noticing just how banged up it was; the glass was shattered, as if someone had shot the engineer multiple times. Not to mention, the familiar pattern of white and yellow rust pertained to this car, along with mechanical bits slouching off of the rails, as if at any moment the entire contraption could fall apart.

Duck began to cough and hack, interrupting Lee's spectating. Chuck's smile faded as he approached Katjaa, getting down on a knee, "I'm awfully sorry your son's not feeling good." He eyed the boy, who stared off into space, losing himself to whatever infected him.

"I appreciate your concern," she muttered softly, a small smile rising on her lips as she looked down at her son, hugging him tightly.

"I just want him to get better," she whispered, a tear falling from her eyes.

"Well, with a little TLC I'm sure he'll be fit as a fiddle in no time," He heartened, standing back up, "And I can offer ya'll whatever I got, although it ain't much." He looked around the group, feeling prideful to help such a disheartened group out.

"Thank you," Katjaa added, "We'd like to do the same."

"Yes, we'd really appreciate it," Carley spoke, breaking off her conversation with Ben.

"Why don't we hold off on…" Kenny started as he approached the group.

"Stay with us," Katjaa interrupted, sending a stern look in her husband's direction, "We'd like the company."

Chuck nodded to both of them before sitting down next to Clementine and picking up his guitar that had been resting beside the stump, unnoticed. As he played a soft tune,. Clementine watched him with mild interest, while Dominic and Lee stood next to her. _Josh would get along well with this guy; they both share the love for music._

Lee was the first one to speak, "Hey, Chuck," he began.

"Howdy," came the reply, the older man's eyes never leaving the guitar.

"Where are you from? You live around here?" Lee asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Georgia boy," He affirmed as he looked up at Lee, meeting his stare. "You saw where I live."

Lee decided to ask one more question, "Why are you alone?"

"Why not?" Chuck shrugged, keeping the song going. "Seem to be doin' all right."

"Fine, then," Lee sighed, turning towards Clementine.

"I'm sorry," Chuck started, forcing Lee's eyes back on him, "I do like being around you all, actually. It's nice." Chuck glimpsed at his new friends from different perspectives; the familiar dirt road family with an ill child; the business woman making eyes with the darker business man, questioning him; the college kids, who seemed to not get along; and the little girl beside him, watching every stroke his fingers made on his guitar.

"You caught us on a bad day," Dominic interjected, sitting beside Clementine, wrapping an arm around her as he watched the old man play, before looking him in the eyes.

"Eh, you still got a couple of kids," Chuck laughed as he looked at Clementine, "And this one's got a good spirit." He gave her a curt nod before finishing, "That's some kinda somethin'." He stared down with pride at his guitar before returning everybody's gaze.

Lee nodded slightly before kneeling down next to Clementine, whispering sweetly, "Hey, sweet pea… That candy Chuck gave you, it taste okay?"

"It was really good," Clementine giggled.

"No funny aftertaste?" Lee asked, eyeing the old man as he spoke to her.

"No…" She mumbled, considering the taffy Chuck had given her.

He turned to look at the train, which hummed softly, "Train's cool, huh?" He asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I guess," She stammered, eying the massive train behind her, "Scary, kind of." She leaned back towards Dominic as she stared at the massive thing Lee was questioning her about.

Lee smiled, "Well, I'm gonna go talk to Kenny real quick, stay close to Dominic, okay?" He suggested, turning away and leaving Clementine.

"Okay." She said, her eyes following Lee's figure walking away.

Kenny stood next to the train, examining the mechanics for any potential hazards, but turned around as he noticed Lee approaching him, "So that's it? We're cut loose?" He asked, smiling at the thought of being on the move again.

"Seems that way, yeah," Lee confirmed, acknowledging the big hunk of metal before them.

"Great!" Kenny smiled, "Let's get this thing movin' then," he exclaimed. They strolled over to the group again, ready to unveil the news, "We don't got much left, so just gather whatever you have. Let's go," Kenny cheered, eagerly assisting his wife and child.

Everyone spoke in excited murmurs as they began to stand one by one. Ben rushed towards the train without a word, as Carley eyed him suspiciously before stepping forward to embrace Lee, before making her way herself. Clementine pulled Dominic up off the stump, both grunting as he succeeded. Lee marched over to help Dominic walk to the train, holding an arm under him for support. As the group headed for the train, Chuck sat idly on his stump, watching his new friends leave him one by one.

As they began to file into the train, Kenny looked over his family and asked Chuck, "Want a ride?"

"Well, it sounds like you're taking my home," Chuck deadpanned, offense spilling out of this once kind man's lips.

"That's a yes then," Kenny laughed, the insult escaping him.

Chuck laughed softly, "Haven't found anything better for keeping the creepy-crawlies out than that boxcar." He grabbed his guitar and headed for the doors.

While Chuck climbed aboard, Clementine approached Dominic and Lee, lowering her head as she spoke, "Duck's sick."

"Get on the train, Clementine," Kenny insisted, avoiding her concern. Carley pulled her aside and into the car, leaving Dominic, Lee, Katjaa, Duck, and Kenny remaining outside.

"He's getting sicker," Katjaa told her husband.

"Let me look at him," Kenny insisted, examining his son. Duck tried to lift his head to look at his father, but failed as his chin bumped feebly against Katjaa's chest, a weak hiss escaping his mouth.

"Is the train really a good idea, with Duck like that… maybe we should focus on one thing at a time," Lee suggested, which made Kenny shoot glares in his direction.

" **YES.** What can we do _here_?" Kenny snapped, turning on his friend. "We get on the train and find something _better_. **That** is the plan." He stood neck and neck with Lee, a finger jabbed into his chest.

"I think Lee just wants to talk it through," Katjaa muttered, holding her baby.

"Kenny… Let's not-" Carley began, returning from the boxcar after hearing the chatter.

"It's **TALKED THROUGH** ," Kenny shouted once more, before settling his expression and turning slumped, instantly regretting his attitude, "Get on, Kat." He sighed.

"Kenny, you should listen to Lee, it's too dangerous," Dominic countered, appearing beside the entrance of the boxcar.

"Then what do you propose we do then, Dominic?" Kenny roared, "Don't you turn against me too!" His face turned blood-red as he shot a glaring look at the young man.

"Kenny…" He started, but the man waved him off and hustled into the boxcar.

"I'll be up front. I don't want to hear any nonsense until we get where we're goin'." Kenny hissed as he turned the corner, towards the cabin.

They exchanged sad glances, Lee helping Katjaa and Duck aboard, before helping Dominic.

"He's losing it, Lee," Dominic sighed as he stared down at the older man below.

"I know, I'll take care of him," Lee affirmed as he stared off towards the cabin, before returning Dominic's gaze. "Take care of Clementine for me while I'm up there."

"Will do."

Lee disappeared around the corner as Dominic crouched down next to Clementine, whimpering as their legs dangled out the side of the boxcar. They struck up a conversation as the ground began to move beneath them. Carley lay her head against the boxcar doors as she grabbed her notepad from her pocket, writing personal notes about the day. Chuck moved to the front of the train, wishing to feel the wind, and to have a beer in his hands; he was excited to travel again. Ben closed his eyes, sitting at the back of the boxcar, tears falling as he thought about his old life; memories of his parents fading away, his school life being some of the only vivid memories he had left. _It's been so long…._ Katjaa held Duck in her arms, the boy now limp and gasping for air as the wind rushed past him. She cried as her only son tried to move, but only dangled and let out weak moans.

It had been a tough day, but Dominic knew it was only going to get worse. Clementine wiggled against him as the train moved faster, the sound of the wheels screeching against the rails reverberating into the forest. He wrapped an arm around her as a tear began to fall from her eyes.

He wiped the tear away with a finger, whispering the biggest white lie of them all, "It's gonna be alright, Clem."


	9. Carry On

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 3 - Long Road Ahead**

 **Chapter 9: Carry On**

The train rumbled with mechanical ferocity as it sailed across the rails. The world died around the metal machine, like a withering flower, leaving only walkers and carcasses behind. Within the train's only boxcar, the group sat in uncomfortable silence. Chuck stood a few inches within the door, gazing out at the trees and fields whizzing by. Lee stood behind him, his eyes resting on Katjaa and Duck in the corner. The poor boy stared lifelessly beyond his mother at some unseen object. He lay lifeless, mouth frozen in an agape contortion; his clothes were covered in dried sweat and blood. Katjaa never lifted her gaze from him, the hope within her dying alongside her son and soul. Clementine sat a few feet away to Katjaa's right, between the older woman and Chuck. Her heartbroken eyes scanned Duck for any signs of improvement; a little twitch, a rolling eye, anything; she found nothing but a losing fight. Dominic relaxed beside Clementine, an arm around her as he peered up at Lee, defeated. Carley stood next to Lee, gazing at him with soft eyes, looking up at him for any sign of stress. Finally, Ben rested against the wall, isolated from everyone else on the opposite corner of the boxcar. His eyes were fixed on his shoes as guilty thoughts spread through his mind like a virus, chewing away at every cord it could munch. As Duck continued to cough, any sense of hope that remained was extinguished.

To his right, Lee heard Chuck's deep voice grumble, "Got to be hard on ya, eh? Four adults, taking care of four kids…" He gazed down at Dominic and Ben, "No disrespect."

Ben stared in defiance as Dominic sighed, "I'm not even sure how old I am anymore, could be twenty now for all I know." He glanced out of the boxcar door as he pondered for a moment at how long he might've been here.

"Still young, son," Chuck shrugged.

"There were more of us," Lee voiced, joining the older man at the open boxcar door.

"Dead get 'em?" Chuck asked, turning to look at Lee.

His eyes fell to the wooden floor as he murmured, "No."

"Ah," Chuck let out a heavy sigh, returning his gaze to the passing trees. "Livin' got 'em."

"Lee!" A woman's voice cried, agony ripping away at the cords. He shot his head at Katjaa, just in time to see Duck cough once again, blood flying out and covering his face. "Lee, I need you, right now! I need you to go get Ken," Katjaa screeched, tears dripping onto her son's crimson face.

"What's…" Lee started, but Katjaa's next request cut him off.

"Would you get that off his face?" She gestured towards the rag on the ground beside her, fingers trembling as she fought to support her son, the blood staining Duck's face as another cough released another wave of blood and mucus. "My hands are full here," she yelped, more tears flowing down her cheeks. Lee rushed to her aid, seizing the clean rag from the wooden floor and frantically wiping the crimson blood away, gasping with disgust.

Katjaa peered up at Lee, an uncertain smile spreading on her face. "Thank you..." She sighed as the inevitable weighed down on her, stealing more tears and hope than any cough her son had endured. "He's out of time; we need to stop this train."

"Okay," Lee sniffed. He hesitated, staggering as he stood up. Every step was a mile, scene after red hot scene flashing with every thunderous pound of his feet. " _Why did you let this happen_ ," one scene screamed. " _Why didn't_ _ **HE**_ _warn us of this_?" Another exclaimed. _If he ever finds out about Dominic, would he try to kill me… or Dominic… in vengeance?_ He approached the doorway, noticing the bullet shocked glass as he delayed opening the door, a horrible image bursting through his mind; himself laying on the ground, blood spilling from his skull, a red, tear stricken Kenny above him, smoking gun in hand. This was not a conversation he was looking forward to having, Lee half prayed this was a dream; all a fucked up dream and Clementine would shake him violently, as if he could feel himself shaking at that moment. But, this wasn't a dream; there was no other way.

Lee glanced to his left, the crimson vision burning to ashes as he saw Dominic flash a look at him. Guilt and grief contorted his face, his hands falling off of Clementine like lifeless noodles. It was a feeling the boy was getting far too accustomed to.

"Please…" Katjaa pleaded one final time before returning her tear-blurred gaze to her son.

"I'll come with you," Carley offered, taking his hand as her face fell into a sorrowed frown.

"Alright," He heaved, forcing his legs to move before reaching for the god-forsaken door next to where Katjaa held Duck in her arms, leading out to the main engine.

As they closed the door behind them, Carley sighed, freezing where she stood. "Lee, this is getting bad. The group's falling apart," her voice faltering as events played through her mind for the millionth time.

"I know," he breathed softly as he turned to look at her, watching her slumped posture waving as she inched closer. "But we can't give up hope yet. Dominic was able to save you, maybe we can save the group." His eyes grazed her face, the muscles around her jaw slipping as her eyes lay broken.

"Dominic saved me because he knew what was going to happen," Carley countered, "We don't. And he hasn't exactly been forthcoming about it." Anger escaped her teeth, suddenly craving answers for this disaster.

"He has a lot on his mind," Lee mumbled, resting his elbows against the railing, "Am I upset that he didn't tell us about Lilly? Of course. But I understand his reasons, even if I don't agree with them." He noticed, for the first time since exiting the boxcar to his railway to Hell, the brief winds hitting his face as he glanced out to the forgotten trees, the sun beaming down on them.

"Has he told you anything else? About Duck?" She croaked, taking another step, now gripping the railing and holding herself up beside Lee.

"Nope," Lee shuddered, tearing himself from nature, or what was left of it. "The way things are going, I don't think we even needed his help on that one," He sighed, laying his head atop his hands.

"I didn't think Lilly would ever pull a gun on me," She muttered, her eyes closing as the images of Lilly flashed through her head, the gun entering point blank in her mind. "In that moment, I was so scared." She shoved her head into her hands as she collapsed against the railing, allowing the guilt and vulnerability to consume her. "I felt guilty that he got shot trying to save me. Now, I'm not so sure if I wanted him to." Her voice finally cracked at her last words. She lifted her head up, revealing puffy eyes as she peeked at the trees. _Let something disguise my meltdown, damnit_.

Lee picked up his head, his eyes softening as he watched her, "You don't mean that." He whispered.

She sighed as another tear threatened to escape her eye, "He almost died because of me, Lee," she gasped, laying her head on his shoulder, the tear breaking through.

As tears poured down her face, he pulled her into an embrace. "It's okay," He whispered in her ear, "You're alive, he's alive. He did what _no one_ else could do."

She sniffled as she looked up at him, "But if he would've died trying to save me, there's no way I could've forgiven myself." Her lips shook as the words spilled out.

"Try not to think about it, okay?" He asked, caressing her cheek unconsciously and wiping away a stray tear. "We're going to make it through this. No matter what, I've got your back; to the very end."

She smiled, a stray tear slipping through as she chuckled; she felt happy for the first time in a long time. She suddenly didn't care about being vulnerable; she wanted to accept this moment the way it was. "I'm going to hold you to that," she whispered, staring into his eyes.

* * *

"You need to stop the train," Lee whispered, leaning against the glass; for physical or moral stability, he couldn't grasp. He stared, motionless as the train rumbled the tracks with brutal force, as if escaping inevitable reality itself. Kenny continued escaping as Lee whispered again, while a tear slowly numbed his cheek. Looking over his breaking friend like a concerned father, Lee grasped the moist rag in his palm. Kenny continued to stare off ahead of them, ignoring the man. Lee exchanged a sorrowed look with Carley before nudging Kenny, immediately cutting him from his stupor, and placed the bloody rag he had used to clean Duck's face before his eyes.

"Katjaa needs you, Kenny…" Carley whispered behind them, her hands gripping the metal doorframe.

"Duck will be **fine**." Kenny insisted, his voice cracking as his eyes remain fixed on the train tracks ahead.

"I'm sorry, Kenny. But you know that's not true," Lee countered, gasping for composure.

The Floridian turned to look at Lee, his eyes shooting knives as his face burned a fiery red. "Just go back there and tell my wife everything will be fine," He snapped, "What's the goddamn deal? He's a little **sick** , but we can't just quit. It's a scratch! He's not like the others. **Jesus** , all ya'll are just makin' it worse!" He returned to the tracks ahead, clenching the stick and forcing the train faster.

Lee sighed, "This isn't about Duck." He watched the Floridian, eyes beating for a plea and change of sentence.

"It's not about my son dying?" Kenny scoffed, sarcasm spitting from his lips. "The hell do you know? You're not my friend." He grumbled, his knuckles bleeding white from the pressure.

"I don't hate you..." Lee insisted.

"You sure as shit haven't done anything for me."

Lee sighed as he stared at his friend. _Now what do I do?_ Everything that has happened to them is piling up like bodies, sapping away everyone's sanity and filling the void with cold insanity. The group in its entirety were losing grips to healthy faces, only gaining tired, black eyes and weightless bodies. This wasn't only about mental exhaustion; it was the exhaustion of body and soul, tearing away their very being. Kenny was about to lose his son, one of the two things in this world he cared about, and that was enough to drive any father crazy.

After a brief pause, Lee pressed on, hoping to change his friend's mind, "You think **you're** the reason Duck was bitten, like you had this coming or something?" His eyes narrowed as he gripped the chair, glaring at the man. " **You** aren't to blame for Hershel's son getting bitten, and neither is Duck."

"I know, Lee… but I could've done **more.** " Kenny cracked as he sniffed back tears. "I could've prevented that boy gettin' bitten, and now it's catching up to me…" Kenny's voice trailed off; his eyes falling to the mechanical controls and levers for the train.

"You can't blame yourself for what went down, Kenny. It wasn't your fault. Dominic told you to save Duck while we helped Shawn. You looked out for your kid and a bad thing happened to someone else's, but we **saved** that boy's life." Carley stared at Lee as he retold the events from the farm, eyes beaming in horror as the tragedy filled her ears.

"What happened to the boy?" Carley whispered.

"He got trapped underneath a tractor, we pulled it off him, but he still got bit. Dominic suggested we take the leg off…" Lee muttered.

"Did it work…?" She pressed, oblivious to their current mission.

"Yeah." Lee finished.

Kenny wiped away a tear as he continued, adjusting topics. "There ain't no way this world lets my son live when I helped ruin another father's life, and destroyin' his kid's!" More tears spilled into the floor as Kenny hung his head in defeat.

"That's not the way it works, you know that," Lee insisted, laying a hand on the father's shoulder, "Stop the train, man."

Kenny looked up to Lee, worry filling his glassy gaze. Lee returned the favor, reality flowing through their minds like telepathic language. Kenny turned towards Carley, apologies running through his head as he hoisted himself out of the chair, switching the lever in the process. The brakes squealed as Carley gripped Lee's arms, while everyone else held their ground as the train pulled into Reality Forest..

"Sorry," Carley whispered as she stood up straight, stepping towards the boxcar.

* * *

 _Do my choices even matter anymore?_ Dominic thought to himself, holding onto Clementine as the train eased to a stop. _I saved Carley and Shawn but… am I being punished?_ The frown that etched it's way across his face mere seconds ago now turned into a scowl. _Now Duck and Katjaa are next, because I screwed up. Then it'll be Chuck…_ He shook his head slightly, shoving these horrid ideas to the trash; he refused to let Chuck die. _Just this once_ , he wasn't letting fate win.

Chuck reached out to Katjaa, gripping her hand and supporting Duck. "Let me help ya up."

"Thanks…" She grabbed the older man's hand as he pulled her up, Duck still resting in her hands like a weightless doll.

Chuck assisted Katjaa with carrying Duck to the edge of the boxcar door while Clementine scooted out of the way and used what little strength she had to help Dominic to his feet. The wound pulsed with agonizing pain the instant Dominic moved a muscle, rendering movement an unbearable endeavour. Ben stayed in his corner as his eyes focused on Duck's writhing form, forcing his back to clench to the wall, like a devilish plague. Clementine and Dominic sat down on the other end of the boxcar, their feet dangling out. Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Carley, Lee and Kenny climb down from the engine, all with defeat in their eyes.

As the trio approached, Katjaa sent a grave look into her husband's eyes, both of their eyes full of hopelessness and sorrow. After a brief moment of silence, she sputtered, "Ken. It's… I think it's time."

Kenny's face contorted as fear, sorrow, and grief washed over his body, chills spilling like ice over his nerves and adrenaline surging like a forbidden drug. As Chuck hopped out of the boxcar, Kenny half-spat his next words, "The boy's been bit, in case you haven't figured that out." The older man gazed at him in what Kenny could only decipher as pity. He took a step further, a single tear trailing his cheek as the thoughts filled his head. _I can't live with this…._

"Take as long as you need," Lee muttered to Kenny and Katjaa. This was their **son** dying, he wasn't going to force them to hasten the poor boy's awaited death.

Kenny's eyes sifted on Lee, his dreary eyes wide and teary as he sniffled the words, "There ain't no time left to take." He gloomed back to his wife as his voice lowered further, "What are we gonna do?"

"We can't allow him to become one of those things…" Katjaa groaned, fear striking her splitting voice as tears fell and smashed like fragile glass onto the limp body. She stared at her son in desperation, but knew that there was no other choice: they had to kill their only son.

"But… what if…" Kenny started, "What if he doesn't?" Kenny tried to grasp the only hope he saw, but knew it was gone before he said it.

She gazed at her husband, "Kenny, I love you very much; I love our son more than life itself." Her voice cracked as she fell apart, "I need you to hear me… what you are saying, that he may not turn, is foolish."

"But…" He looked one more time at his son's lifeless body, a whimpering groan filling the air.

" **No**." She insisted, now standing defensive in front of her husband.

"There's…" Kenny shook his head as the fitful rage pressed his wits. "Come on, Kat…"

"If you think of one, you let me know…" She whispered as she stepped towards the boxcar.

"Isn't there some sort of pill, or something we can just give him…?" He spoke. His family was crashing down around him, and he didn't want his boy to suffer any more than he needed to.

"Stop…" Katjaa muttered.

"He can just drift off to sleep, right hon? I mean, **Jesus** , this is our _**son**_!" He snapped, punching the boxcar, receiving gasps of horror from mixed voices.

" **I KNOW**." Katjaa shouted, sputtering her words. "But we know it's… here." She pointed toward her head, indicating the brain. "Or nothing." She spat her last words.

"Well… **fuck** … just… who then?" Kenny whispered, his hands covering his face, "You want **me** to?"

"No, Kenny…" Katjaa sighed.

"I'll do it," Kenny insisted, marching towards the boy and reaching an arm out.

"No… you don't **have** to." She whispered, looking into her son's glassy eyes again.

"Kenny, you're his dad…" Lee interjected, forcing his way into the conversation, "You do it."

"Kenny needs to do it," Dominic added from his spot at the boxcar door.

"I'm his **mother** ," Katjaa shot back, looking at the audience behind her.

"They're right… and don't give me that 'I brought him into this world' junk," Kenny added softly.

"Shush," Katjaa whispered, her eyes returning to their helpless son, "He's still a baby boy… It would be different if he were older…" She looked up at her husband one last time, "Let me do this."

"Then I'm coming with you," Kenny demanded, now side by side with his wife.

"No, hon… stay with Lee and Dominic. Your son loves you and you should remember him as the silly boy we used to…" She choked as she forced the words. "Have… not this."

"Katjaa…" Dominic started, the rest of the sentence stuck in his throat as she turned to glare at him, "Katjaa, please don't do this…"

"I'm doing this, Dominic. It's _my_ decision." She shrieked, her voice dripping with anger.

"Please… just let Lee and Kenny do it," He stared into her eyes, a single message conveying across. _I know what you're going to do, and please don't do it._

She sighed as her eyes fell to the ground, "I'm sorry, Dominic." She hoisted her son into her arms, giving one last glance at Lee and Kenny.

"I can't…" Kenny whispered, his voice cracking as the tears threatened to burst through the dam, his body crashing to the boxcar doors. His hands ran to his face as drops fell from his eyes.

She gave him a heartbreaking stare before turning to the man next to him, "Lee, be with him?"

Husband and wife exchanged one final stare before she treaded off into the woods, disappearing into the brush. Lee slowly reached out for Kenny, putting a hand on the man's shoulder, but let go as the Floridian collapsed to his knees.

From behind him, Lee heard Clementine's voice, staring at Dominic, "What's happening?"

The boy's eyes fell to the floor, bursting into silence. Lee walked over to Clementine as she hopped off the boxcar ledge, the older man kneeling down in front of her, "Katjaa's… taking care of Duck." He gave a curious glance to the younger man before returning Clementine's saddened gaze.

"I thought he was going to die…"

He sighed softly, "She's... putting him out of his misery."

"Oh…" She looked down at the dirt beside her foot as she pondered what he said.

"Lee, you need to get to her, now…" Dominic interjected as he stepped toward them.

"What's going to happen?"

"She's going to-" A deafening pop pierced their ears as they looked into the brush. Katjaa had fired. Dominic's tone shot from desperation to grievous, "Go, _now!_ "

Kenny and Lee sprinted into the forest as Dominic turned toward Clementine, "Listen, Clem. I know things are grim, but no matter what, I'm going to protect you. I will **NEVER** let this happen to you. Do you understand?" His frantic eyes searched for immediate meaning in the little girl's.

Her eyes fell as the weight of the situation crushed her. "You don't know that."

"I do. I _really_ do." He spoke, forcing his tone to lower into a hushed whisper. She looked up at him with curiosity before he pulled her toward the train. "Come on, we've got a lot to talk about."

* * *

The train roared to life once more as it's unfortunate passengers filed aboard one-by-one. No one dared mention Katjaa and Duck, especially not in front of Kenny. It wasn't long before Lee and Kenny returned after another deafening crack of a pistol; Katjaa killed herself, rather than kill her only son. She chose the easy way out rather than live with the consequences of their actions. Kenny left the train in desperation, but came back broken beyond repair, silent beyond words as he climbed into the cabin and forcing the train to carry on.

Now, Clementine and Dominic sat alone within the confines of the boxcar. Lee joined Kenny in the cabin, only silence following the squeals of the doorframe. Carley joined Ben on the scaffolds of the engine, a silent conversation flowing between them. Chuck leaned against the railing at the front of the train, enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing against him and the trees flying past his eyes. They were down to seven survivors; leaving a trail of loved and forgotten ones behind them.

Dominic flailed his legs back and forth over the edge of where Clementine and him sat in the boxcar, watching the tracks sail by like a rusted road, his foot occasionally tapping a tall stone or crooked limb Besides the roar of the wheels against the tracks, everything remained silent.

After what felt like an eternity, Dominic spoke, "Hey Clem?"

"Yeah?" She asked, curiosity feeding his eyes.

"I have something I need to tell you. Promise me you'll take it seriously?" He glanced quickly to be sure no one was in earshot before returning her gaze. She nodded in understanding, silently waiting for her protector to continue.

"Well," He began, his eyes falling to his flailing legs as his thoughts filed into order, "There's some things you should know about me... I've told Lee and Carley about this, but I haven't had a chance to tell you yet." When she said nothing, he went on, "I don't really know how to explain this, but… I'm from the future. I don't know _how_ I got here, but I have. I know everything that's going to happen for the next two years, more or less. I knew about Lilly trying to shoot Carley, and I knew about Duck getting bitten… " He bit his lip after the last words, momentarily preparing his ears for screams. "And I know this sounds a bit far-fetched, but….. just ask Lee. I've told him about the events that've happened in the past day over a week ago."

"I don't understand…" She stretched after a moment's silence. Her eyes searched the room as she let his words sink in.. _How could Dom be from the future if he was here? How could he know anything about the future?_ She sighed as she looked back at him in confusion.

"I don't quite understand myself," Dominic sighed, rubbing his forehead as a headache flared like a beast, "But **please** believe me, it's the truth…" After a brief pause, he came up with an idea, "Ask me a question, anything, about the future, and I'll tell you."

"Uhhh…." She thought it over, trying her best to think of a good question. "What's gonna happen in two years?"

Dominic laughed softly as events played through his mind, "Well, for one, you're gonna grow up to be badass."

"Swear." She lectured with a smile, pointing her finger as if she was a scolding sister.

"Sorry," He chuckled, "I couldn't resist. Anyway, you meet this group of people in… I wanna say North Carolina? And, you find out that they're running from some guy named Carver, who's a bit of a bast-... _mean_ guy. So you guys escape." He sniffed as each member of the Cabin group died in his head, "They are quite the heroic group."

"What about you and Lee?" She questioned, wondering why he hadn't mentioned either of them.

"Well, I wasn't there… it's hard to explain. But Lee, well, that's a long story that we shouldn't get into right now." He faked a smile, hoping that he could hide the pain underneath his usual guise. It seemed to succeed as she smiled back.

"Aaaand," Dominic started, his voice heavy as ready to drop the biggest bombshell on her, "I know about the man you've been talking to on your radio."

Her eyes grew wide, "You do?" She shrieked, her voice carrying outside.

"Yep. Clem, please don't trust him. He's not who you think he is." He lectured back to her.

"But he said he's gonna help me find my parents…" She whimpered as his voice grew stern.

"He's _lying_ , Clem," He whispered, looking into her eyes, " _Don't trust him, please._ "

She stared back, realizing his severity, "Okay, I won't."

"Good," He smiled at her before changing the subject, "Now I feel much better, getting all that off my chest."

"...Dom?" She started, looking at the boy sitting next to her, "What is it like? Knowing everything that's gonna happen?"

"It's…" He sighed, "It's difficult, Clem. Every day I find myself deeper and deeper into crap I can't change. No matter how hard I try, sometimes I just fail. Like when Mark and Larry died, then… Katjaa and Duck. I couldn't stop their deaths, and it hurt. _Hurts._ It's like someone is stabbing me in the back every single second of every day. So much that I feel like I can't breathe. I never expected to end up like this: Living with the guilt that despite what I know, some people can't be saved..." Dominic let out a heaving sigh as he looked out into the trees, silent memories playing in his head before turning back to Clementine, a puzzled gaze frozen upon her face. "In the end, all I can do is carry on like nothing ever happened."

She looked up at him, whispering softly, "How do you do that?"

He laid his head against the door, taking in a deep breath before muttering the cursed words, "You forget."


	10. The Road To Savannah

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 3 - Long Road Ahead**

 **Chapter 10: The Road To Savannah**

* * *

"You're such a dork," Lee heard Clementine giggle as he entered the lone boxcar, slowly closing the door behind him. Dominic and Clementine dangled their feet out of the boxcar as if they were sitting in the bed of a truck, feeling the rush of the wind against their legs as they sped down the track.

"Well, someone's gotta think about this stuff," Dominic shrugged and laughed, his eyes focused on the little girl beside him, "It's the best theory I've got so far."

"What _are_ you two talking about?" Lee's voice rang from the shadows as he sat down next to them, immediately admiring the passing landscape.

"I told her the secret," Dominic chirped in a cheerful tone, "I've been trying to figure it all out."

Lee raised an eyebrow as he looked over the cheerful stranger beside him. Even his expression appeared different, as if this wasn't the same man he knew hours earlier. He was laughing, smiling, and joking with Clementine.. Two people had died not that long ago, and it seemed as if the boy had already moved on. Taking a deep breath, Lee hesitated, "Well? What's your theory then?"

"Well, I've got two potential theories," Dominic spoke, counting them off with his fingers as they formed in his mind. "One: There's some sort of crack in the universe, acting as a hole between my world and yours. Or two: I'm some sort of interdimensional time-traveler."

Lee stared at the boy in awe before noting in a neutral tone, "Those both sound pretty far-fetched."

"Well, this **whole** thing is pretty far-fetched when you think about it. Very Doctor Who." Dominic shrugged as his eyes returned to the passing trees and fields. "There's no way to know for sure, but how cool would it be? Being able to go anywhere, anytime, thanks to some dimensional crack or some unknown ability."

Silence split between the trio as Lee continued to stare at the young boy before chuckling. "Clem's right, you **are** a dork."

Dominic smiled deviously, looking at the older man, "and proud of it."

Silence continued to spread as Lee pondered this moment. _Dominic is managing all that's happened well… too well._ _What if he's ignoring it? Bottling it up?_ . Lee turned and gave Clementine a small smile before gazing over the trees again, still seeing the current situation in his mind. _What if he's filling the gap? Instead of mourning: science fiction?_ The same boy that broke down in front of him hours earlier, was now here thinking up theories on how he got here, instead of remembering Katjaa and Duck.

"What happened?" Lee found himself asking suddenly to Dominic, whose eyebrows rose in response.

"What do you mean?" Dominic questioned, startled by Lee's abrupt curiosity..

"A few hours ago, you were on the verge of tears, just like everyone else, now you seem, well, **normal**." Lee clarified, glancing again at the boy next to him.

"I'm still upset, Lee," Dominic sighed as his expression flipped like a switch from happiness to guilt, "Everyone has to move on eventually…. and this isn't any different. When Mark and Larry died… I ceased to function. I murdered. I let my emotions get the better of me…" He kicked his feet back and forth as he spoke, his eyes now fixed on the tracks running beneath their feet, instead seeing the bodies of all whom had perished in the last few months because of his arrogance. Their imaginary headstones filled his vision. "For the longest time, I thought that death didn't affect me. When family died, I didn't cry, or get sad. I felt numb, just, completely numb from it all. Hell, even when my grandmother died when I was twelve, it didn't really affect me. Now, things are different. Death is different. Instead of a family member simply passing away, I get to see people I care about, people I've spent _months_ trying to protect, **die**. And then I realize, it's all my damn fault. I _knew_ Mark and Larry were going to die, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't save them. Then Duck got bit, and Katjaa…" He glanced at Clementine, a tear running down his cheek as he watched his words, "Well, you get the point, Lee. I've let grief overwhelm me before, but I can't afford to anymore. Not if I want to keep Clem and everyone else safe. So if I seem a little bit _overjoyed_ , I'm really not."

Lee heard himself sigh as he patted the boy on the back, "Dominic, you've become the strongest man I've ever known. When I first met you, back in that backyard, I thought you were just some immature kid who'd barely last a day in the real world… You've proved me wrong." He gave younger man a small smile. "You've become something more. Your parents would be proud."

Dominic smiled back shyly. "Thanks Lee, that means a lot. I just... wish I could go back and fix everything, all the mistakes I've made."

"You wouldn't be you if you could," Lee replied, "Mistakes are what shape men into who they are. Without them, you'd be nothing."

Dominic shrugged, "I guess you're right. Things have just gotten out of hand these past few days." He let out a soft sigh before returning his gaze to the little girl beside him, who stared at the two men in amazement. "Now all we've got is a motley crew of depressed survivors, some of whom that _don't_ share my _optimism_."

"Like who?" Lee asked.

"Well, Chuck for one. I walked in on him saying to Clementine that the same thing that happened to Duck, would happen to her. I wasn't particularly happy about that."

"What? The fuck he did." Lee cursed, both of their faces face twisting with anger.

From the other side of Dominic, Clementine little voice whispered, "Swear!"

He turned to look at her, saying "Sorry…" before turning back to Dominic, "I'm gonna go talk some sense into him."

"Go easy on him, Lee," Dominic insisted as he watched the older man stand up, "He's been on his own for God knows how long, so he may come off as a bit rude, but he does mean well."

"I know," Lee seethed, turning towards the door, "Stay here with Clem, I'll be right back."

* * *

Nothing quite compared to the feeling of the wind blowing past you, brushing every part of you as it rushed onward, to it's new destination. It was something Chuck loved whole-heartedly, perhaps more than anything else. Before the apocalypse, he simply enjoyed driving, the destination never mattered. It was the journey that made the trip, even the pit stops along the way filled his heart with joy. Now, despite all of the horrible events happening around him, Chuck embraced the wind once again, leaning against the railing on the front of the train, watching the world fly by. Nothing was more peaceful.

But peaceful moments always come and go in the blink of an eye. The harsh tone emanating from beside him proved that. "Hey!"

Chuck spun around to see Lee, who crossed his arms at the sight of the older man. Chuck greeted the younger man in a casual tone, "How ya doin'?"

"I don't care what reasons you had for doing it," Lee started, his tone growing more enraged with each passing syllable, "But there's **NO** reason to go and tell my girl she's gonna end up dead!"

 _Ah, that is what this is about._ Chuck sighed, returning his gaze to the train tracks ahead of them, answering Lee's accusation flatly, "'Cause she is…" He looked back at the younger man, his usual smile falling into a deep frown, "I don't know much about you folks, but I can tell you, sure as the sun gon' come up tomorrow, that ya'll keep going on like this and that girl ain't gonna make it."

Lee threw his hands into the air as he resisted every urge to punch this old man in the face. His eyes towered over the older man, shooting daggers, "What do you know?"

"I know that you don't have a goddamn plan." He gazed at the younger man standing next to him as if he was just some naive child. "We get to Savannah and then what?" He stared over the younger man, his eyes remaining smooth as the tension twisted in the air.

"We find a boat," Lee spoke simply, relaxing his fingers once again.

He found himself planting his head into his hand as he shouted out, "You think that's a new idea? You got even the foggiest idea 'bout where you're gonna find one of those?" He sighed, exhausting breaths filling his palms before looking back at Lee, "Look, sit down with the girl and that boy and hash it out. Find a map for Christ's sake; I'd give you one if I had it. And if something were to happen to you…"

Lee's eyes narrowed, "It won't."

"If it **were** , you gotta prepare the girl. Teach her to use a weapon, and for criminy, cut that hair!" Chuck suggested, moving his gaze out into the forests.

"Like a gun? Are you kidding me?!" Lee stared at the man, exasperated. _Is he serious?_

"What? She's too young to handle one?" Chuck sighed, "There ain't too young, not anymore. You gotta consider her a living person. That's it. You're either living or you're not. You ain't little, you ain't a girl, you ain't a boy, you ain't strong or smart. You're alive." He paused for a brief moment, taking in the rumbling of the train around him, "Listen, I know you're close to that boy, but do you honestly believe that he could protect her in your absence? He's just a kid." He turned again to look at Lee, watching his reactions thoroughly.

"You're wrong." Lee shook his head as his voice pierced the peaceful rumbling of the train. "I trust Dominic with my life, and hers," He half-shouted, defending his friend.

"I hope for her sake, you're trusting the right boy," Chuck let out one final sigh, "But, just look at her hair. Find some scissors in my pack and take care of that hair before a walker does it for you. And then show her how to use a gun, because like it or not, that's what saves your life from here on out." After a few seconds passed, the wheels clacking onward was the only sound filling the atmosphere. Chuck sighed and added in a hushed whisper, stepping closer to Lee, "I don't mean to tell you how to do your job, but too many people have died already…" A painful gleam beat his worn eyes as he turned around one final time.

Lee's eyes fell as his thoughts filed through everyone they've lost so far; Mark and Larry at the St. John farm, Katjaa and Duck, their own families. Visions of meaningful bodies filled his mind as he whispered, "They have."

"And seein' another little girl die might… just do me in." Chuck whispered, his voice cracking as he turned away from Lee, his gaze panning through the trees.

"I hear you," Lee sighed, joining the man leaning against the railing, finally noticing the golden fields rushing past them. "A plan, a haircut and a gun. It's good advice." _Maybe there's finally a future to look forward to._

Chuck shrugged, "It's something."

* * *

The lone boxcar filled the air with little squeaks and creases as the two shuffled about. Their feet continued to dangle loosely over the edge, the wind kissing their legs and the occasional debris brushing their ankles. As they traveled, the fields grew far and wide, to few and far between. Their favorite part was the sky; as the day went on, the clouds formed up above, from a deep yellowish tint to bright white. Beneath their hands, the wooden floor felt smooth on their skin, with tiny cracks scratching at the tips of their fingers. Rough stains filled the boxcar walls; rotting material, dried mold, and other unidentifiable stains. The place reeked of unimaginable horrors, only to be completely ignored with the group's current situation.

Dominic and Clementine sat on the edge, speaking and laughing, as if they had escaped the Hell they had grown accustomed knowing; almost nothing mattered as Dominic raised another question.

"Sooo… interdimensional time-traveler, or crack in the universe?" The young man laughed at his own ridiculous question as he gazed at the little girl for an answer.

Clementine let out a fake scoff, "You're making **me** _choose_?" Her eyes momentarily grew as she pondered the possibilities.

The smile said it all as he chuckled, "Yes."

"Uh…" She thought it over, trying to decide which one she'd want to have more, "time-traveler of course! It's more fun to control it!"

"'Atta girl," Dominic laughed as they heard the boxcar door creak open, revealing a calmer Lee stepping into the room.

"At it again, are we?" Lee asked as he sat with them again, resting his back against the cold wood.

"Maybe," Dominic shrugged with a mischievous smile.

"Did you talk to him?" Clementine asked from the other side of Dominic, wondering how Lee's conversation with Chuck had gone.

"I did, he had some, uh…" His voice trailed off as he scooted closer to the two, looking past Dominic and straight at Clementine, carefully phrasing his next sentence. "He explained himself and made some good points. Look, we're not going to let anything bad happen to you. But there are some precautions we have to take." He gave Dominic a serious gleam before returning his gaze towards the little girl.

Clementine nodded in simple understanding. "Okay, yeah, that makes sense."

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Lee soothed, hoping he didn't scare her as he patted her cap softly.

She smiled before asking, "Okay, what should we do?" She looked around quickly, as if the answer would appear out of thin air.

As she finished her sentence, Dominic slowly pushed himself to his feet. "I'm, uh, gonna go talk to Ben and Carley," He added before turning towards the door, laughing on his way out, "You guys have fun."

"Anyway," Lee sighed after Dominic closed the door behind him. _He knows what I'm about to do, doesn't he?_ He sighed softly. _Of course he does._ "We're going to figure out a plan for when we get to Savannah, teach you how to protect yourself, and, uh, tidy you up a little so you can't get grabbed so easily." He hesitated as he spoke, silently praying she wouldn't be offended by his upcoming requests.

She smiled again, her eyes now beaming towards him. "I'd like that."

"Good." He sighed, looking out into the passing trees as if it was just a photo, virtually untouchable. "What a crappy day." His eyes focused on the little patches of brown plants that struggled to bloom in the wind, barely noticeable without constant effort as one passed by.

"The crappiest," Clementine agreed, giggling at her own choice of words.

He turned to look at her, his voice barely a whisper, "If three months ago, I'd have known what you'd be seein'... I don't know if I would've taken you with us."

"I probably would've run out of food," her face fell as the thought of her left alone in her treehouse surfaced in her mind.

"You damn near starved with me." He chuckled.

"I'm glad I came with you two," she admitted, forcing Lee's mouth to twitch up into a smile.

"Well, what do you think about Chuck?" He asked her, abruptly changing the subject.

"I don't know," She started; she didn't know much about the older man, but he was nice to her, despite what he said earlier, and he gave her candy. She liked Chuck, but she didn't know him well enough to trust him.

"Me neither," Lee conceded, his eyes glancing towards the boxcar door, knowing he stood feet away from the handles. "He might be an okay guy, though." He shrugged as the last few words eased from his mouth.

She gazed up at him, curious. "You think?"

"We'll keep an open mind about him; he's probably had it pretty rough."

He grabbed onto the boxcar as he hoisted himself up, taking a moment to collect himself before turning back towards Clementine. "You need to know how to protect yourself."

"Like hiding or running away? Got it." She chirped cheerfully as she stood next to him.

He took out his pistol and held it in front of her, letting her examine it closely. _No sugarcoating today, damn you, Chuck._ "I mean with one of these." He held it out to her, "First, don't be afraid of it. It's just a thing. Take it."She stared in awe at the big piece of metal in front of her. _People die with these…_

"But know where your finger is all the time," He continued as he cocked the pistol, the click piercing the air as if it were a megaphone, with the ability to break his heart at the same time. "And don't put it on the trigger unless you want to hurt somebody."

"Okay, okay…" She panted as she grabbed a hold of the pistol, feeling it's weight in her hands. It was much heavier than she expected, feeling more like a large rifle than a small pistol.

Lee crossed his arms and silently laughed as he watched her handle the gun, his eyes following her every move; her fingers lacing the handle with both hands, fingers no where near the trigger or the safety. "See, it's not that scary."

"It's heavy!" She groaned, forcing it to stay in her tiny hands.

"You'll get stronger," He sighed as he knelt down next to her, "To aim, you look right down the top, through that notch." He looked around the room as he spoke, spotting an old beer bottle abandoned in a corner along with several boxes and other bottles. He picked up the empty bottle, and shifted one of the old wooden boxes until he'd set up a mini shooting range, the metal wall acting as a catch. He set the bottle down and returned to Clementine, who was still examining this new tool in her hands. Lee stood behind her, and placed a hand on her aiming shoulder, and another on her right arm.

"Line up the site at the end with your target," he whispered, watching her fingers as she raised the pistol straight out and away from her.

She turned to look at him, "Is there anything else I should know?"

"I know these are just bottles," Lee suggested, "But you have to aim for the head."

"I know," she shivered slightly at the thought, "Only the head."

"Unless it's not a walker, and it's someone trying to hurt you," Lee finished, looking at the pistol in silence, his face contorting at the thought of someone getting to Clementine.

"...and then?" She whispered, nerves filling her body as her hands shook violently.

"Head or body. Anywhere." He pursed.

She shivered again as the images of unknown assailants ran through her imagination, "I… I don't want to think about that." Her eyes grew wide as the bottles seemed to glow an unfriendly hue in the sunlight, taunting her.

Lee sighed, realizing his mistake, "You're right, it might be a lot for your first day." He patted her shoulder softly before moving on, "You ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." She raised the barrel, Lee's hands silently guiding her along.

* * *

"Hey guys," Dominic greeted casually to Ben and Carley as he closed the boxcar door behind him, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he joined them by the railing, "Having fun out here in the wind?"

"We were just talking," Carley announced, shrugging slightly, "about you." she turned away from the teenager and greeted Dominic with compassionate eyes.

"Good things, I hope," Dominic smiled as he leaned against the railing opposite them, noticing the cool breeze hitting him from the front and side simultaneously.

"You were awesome when you saved Carley," Ben complimented, "I was too busy being scared shitless to see it coming." Ben stared at the floor after he spoke, raising his head only to meet him halfway.

"Thank you, Ben. Compliment accepted," Dominic gazed at the boy with a grin. A replay of the motor inn flashed through his mind; a fearful Ben screaming, a smack resounding as his face was full of tears. _I guess he's over that now…_ Dominic honestly thought that Ben would be angry, but it seems like the boy had forgiven him.

"If it wasn't for you, Carley would be dead, and probably me, too." Ben muttered, shrugging as he met the man's eyes.

"I know, I'm badass," Dominic joked, sighing as his face fell, "I did what I had to do, nothing more. Like you." He stared at Ben, as if telling the boy that he knew his secret with his eyes.

"You…" He stuttered, his voice changing pitch as his eyes shot open wide, trying to make sense of the older boy's words, "You know?" He gasped.

Dominic turned to Carley, asking nonchalantly, "I'm assuming he told you." She slowly nodded as he turned back to Ben, "Yeah, I know. It was kinda obvious, given the way you were acting the past few days." She shrugged, looking the boy over as if another "secret" would spill from his clothes before returning Dominic's gaze.

"But…" Ben fumbled for the right words, heart racing as he tried to control his breathing, but his short gasp was cut off by Dominic's next phrase.

"I don't blame you, Ben." He stared into the boy, soothing his words with polite clarity. "If a group of bandits threatened to kill _**me**_ if I didn't give them any supplies, I'd do the same as you. Just like any other human being would. But…" His voice trailed off, turning into a suspenseful whisper as he glanced towards the boxcar door, "You should tell Lee, 'cause I'm not going to tell him for you." His eyes changed with the tone, going from polite to serious in a few syllables.

"What if he kicks me out of the group?" Ben asked, fear and guilt pouring out of the poor boy's raspy voice.

"Don't worry," Dominic assured with a smile, "he won't."

The trio turned and watched as Lee went back and forth between the boxcar and the cabin through the small glass window in the door, silently discussing with himself everything that's happened so far. At first, Dominic thought he was meditating, for his eyes would close as he paced; a finger placed on the center of his forehead, but as he watched, the muttering tone from behind the looking glass changed, a deep rumble from beyond the wall. Lee suddenly disappeared, only to return a few minutes later from the cabin, clutching a map in his hand.

"Hey Lee," Carley's voice rang out as he walked by.

"Hey," He greeted softly, eyes leaving the paper in his hands and going to her before locking eyes with the two boys behind her.

Dominic patted Ben's back before saying, "Ben's got something to tell you."

Lee raised an eyebrow as the younger boy's eyes darted between Carley and Dominic before stepping forward, shaking as he stared into Lee's curious eyes. "It.." he stuttered, his eyes darting back at Carley and Dominic before pushing the secret out into the open. "It was me."

"What?" Lee stared at the boy in shock. _He didn't… did he?_

Ben's face fell as he locked eyes with Lee, "I was the one giving the bandits supplies…" His voice hushed into a mere whisper as he fleshed it out.

" **WHAT?** " He shouted, his eyes glowing red as the crumpled map was crushed in his hands. This entire time he thought that it was just some stranger stealing their supplies, but now he stared at the real culprit in exasperation.

The culprit laid his head in his hands, whispering his next words into them as if they were a pillow, "It's all my fault." The faint whine erupted from the pillow, spilling out onto the floor.

"What for? Why the hell would you do this?!" Lee screamed, the trio taking an abrupt step back as the rage filled the air, reverberating into the forest.

"They said they had my friend," Ben whimpered, shrinking away from Lee, "that he was with them…By the time I realized that they didn't, it was too late… they said they'd kill me. Kill _**all**_ of us. I'm sorry, Lee." He looked at the furious man, his eyes now puffy and bloodshot, shaking as the tension only grew.

"Sorry?!" Lee growled, ready to chew out the boy, but stopped in his tracks as Carley's hand gently appeared on his shoulder.

"Lee…" She whispered, suddenly bringing his vision back to clarity, "He messed up, I know, but he's just a boy…"

"Yeah, and people died," Lee countered, his voice nothing but a faint murmur as he gripped the parchment tighter, slowly raising his eyes to the boy.

"Don't pin all of that on him," Carley insisted, caressing Lee's cheek to calm him down, "You can't blame him for something he couldn't control. He fucked up; he won't do it again." She glanced at the shaken kid, hope passing her eyes.

Lee's eyes locked with Dominic's, forcing the boy to mutter, "He won't do it again, I promise." Shock filled his face as the burning eyes found him.

Lee sighed and buried his head in his hands as he thought it all over. _Can we really keep a traitor like Ben in the group? He'd just be a liability._ "We…" he let out a deep breath before continuing, brushing his face off with his hands as he spoke. "We can't tell Kenny about it; he'd kill him."

As Ben's eyes grew wider, Dominic replied in a neutral tone, "He'll find out eventually, but I agree with you. We can't tell him about it, not just yet."

Ben slowly nodded in understanding as he realized his time might soon be up. Carley reached out to comfort him, embracing him in a hug. Dominic sighed, staring down at the folded piece of paper in Lee's hand, immediately wanting to change the subject. "Is that the map of Savannah then?"

"Yeah," Lee shrugged, giving it to Dominic to examine, "Looks like the train goes right through the city."

" **If** we can get this train into the city," Dominic countered, folding the map up and hopping over to the lone boxcar, "Let's get started then."

* * *

Dominic and Lee sat down with Clementine for what felt like the millionth time. The same old breeze and sunlight beamed off of their faces as their feet dangled in the wind. Admittedly, the train ride felt very peaceful to Dominic, but he was growing restless. All he's done since getting shot was sit around and talk as the group fell apart around him. Kenny has shrunk into himself, barely muttering a single word to anyone as baby pictures of a son that would never grow up, and family portraits of a wife he would never grow old with filled his conscience like venom. Chuck stared off into the distance, dreaming of better days when it was just him and the road. Ben was overcome by guilt and grief, huddled into a corner to mope while Carley comforted him, silently cursing Lilly for putting them into this mess in the first place. Then there was Dominic, Lee, and Clementine.

Lee tried his best to take control of the situation after Lilly's betrayal; Carley once told him that she prefered Lee to take over, yet he found himself wishing that he didn't. How could he keep all these people safe, with no home and no hope? This is what life has been reduced to: running every second of the day, hiding away in trains and motels, desperately trying to survive in a world overrun by the dead. It was Hell; nothing more, nothing less.

Clementine found herself wondering the same thing sometimes. She was only a little girl, what hope did she have of surviving if something happened to Dominic or Lee, or everyone else in her group? Could she take care of herself? She clung to the two men she first met three months ago because she was scared of the very idea of being alone. She spent several days by herself before they found her, she couldn't do it again. With the group going to ruin around her, she couldn't let them out of her sight, even if it came to her being in danger in the process.

Despite being happy on the outside, Dominic was dead on the inside. If a bullet wound wouldn't kill him, the guilt certainly will. One moment he was happy, the next, he'd break down and cry. He felt as if he was going insane. All of the weight he carried on his shoulders was finally crushing his spine and sanity. He had sown his mouth shut ever since he first stepped foot into this strange world. Yet, now the truth held between the seams tasted like bile and venom, slowly eating away at his heart and mind. Ultimately, everything that has happened was **his** fault alone, and everything that was to come The blood of four people were on his hands, and there was only going to be more. Some of it was simply expendable, but most of the crimson muck was personal. Dominic never liked Larry, but he had grown close to Mark before he died. Mark had given him his favorite knife on a hunting trip months ago, but it felt like years to Dominic. Now Dominic stared at that same knife in his hands, now riddled with cuts and knicks; blood stained the knife a barely visible crimson, a color he now knew by heart. This prized possession was his only connection to his old ally, but now only served a single purpose: to kill. Dominic wondered if this is all he was now: a murderer? A psychopath with two deadly weapons: a knife, and foreknowledge. He wasn't sure which one soaked him in more blood.

This world has turned him into nothing but a murderer; a self-righteous killer. All of the blood he spilt poured into his conscience, filling him with unbearable dread. It was enough for Dominic to want to die; enough for him to rid himself of the guilt and pain of what he has done. Yet, as he pictured the glorious weapon in his cold, rotted hands; he couldn't. No matter how badly he wanted to end this nightmare, he could never force himself to do it. He was weak, which disgusted him more than any walker could; it was a blessing and a curse.

Dominic, however, was unaware of the tears pouring down his face, or his white knuckles from clutching the knife in his fingers as if it was a lifeline, or the blood seeping out of the thin cut on his palm, or even how Lee gazed at him like an upset father.

"Guys," Dominic barely heard Lee's voice over his own internal monologue, "I want to talk about Savannah."

Clementine's voice forced him out of his stupor. "Me, too."

Dominic raised his bloodshot eyes as Lee spoke, brushing the crimson fluid off onto the wooden floor nonchalantly. "And what we're going to do when we get there," Lee continued, pulling out the map and placing it flat on the floor between him and Clementine, Dominic gazing at it over the girl's shoulder, "We don't know what to expect, the city could be bad or totally under control. The thing is…" He exchanged soft glances between the two younger survivors before continuing, "We're a team, you know? And a team needs a plan."

Dominic stared at the map as if it was some vile thing. Savannah was the final resting place for many of their group: Ben, Lee, Chuck (and Carley if he wasn't careful.) This was a city of the damned. His stomach ached as he realized the danger he was allowing to be set in motion. He gazed up at Lee, knowing that he wasn't going to be happy with Dominic's response.

"Lee, no offense," He stuttered, his voice cracking as if he was about to cry again, "The best plan is to not enter the city at all. I'm telling you now, that city's a death trap."

"But it _is_ our only chance at finding a boat," Lee countered.

"We…" Dominic sighed as he realized just how fucked up the situation has become, "We should just escape into the countryside, Lee. Let Kenny try to find his goddamn boat, but I'm not risking your lives for a hopeless cause."

"You want to _leave the group_?!" Lee stared, his jaw dropping to the floor, "Who the hell _are_ you?!" His eyes frantically searched the young man over, as if he'd see a switch to turn off his mad rambling for good.

"A boy trying to save the only people in this world he cares about!" Dominic shouted back, his heart beating faster as his breathing became shorter, the pores opening on his veins.

"We can't leave them, Dominic, you know that," Lee whispered, reaching out for the boy, who shrunk away from him, "Would you just let them die? Kenny, Chuck, _Carley_?"

"Then just bring her with us!" Dominic muttered, "Once we enter that damned city, it won't be easy to get everyone out alive. I just don't want anything to happen to you or Clem!" His lips quivered as the bodies of everyone piled in his head.

"There _must_ be another way, Dominic! You _know_ you don't want to abandon this group!" Lee begged, his eyes crossing from shock to a tender plea for help, but the boy's eyes fell to the ground, avoiding Lee's like a lost cause. Clementine stared at both of them wild-eyed, shrinking back into a small shell, too scared to speak.

"I don't know, Lee," Dominic breathed as he stared out into the dead forest, the old fields of grass and flowers now glistening with rotted roots and pale carcasses of greenery as the temperature dropped. "I don't know what I want anymore." His breath sank into a helpless whimper, reality biting his tongue.

"We're not abandoning the group, Dominic," Lee finally stated, his tone forwarding from bewilderment to fatherly concern. "You may say you want to, but I know you don't. With your help, we can get everyone out of Savannah alive."

"God, I hope you're right, Lee," Dominic muttered before lowering his gaze to his dangling legs. Clementine stared at them both in shock, hardly believing the conversation she just witnessed.

Lee opened his mouth, searching for the right words to comfort Dominic's tortured soul, but stopped when the screeching of the brakes pierced the air, sending everyone's eyes to the pilot's cabin; Kenny's voice barely registered over the deafening screeches, " **SHIT, HOLD ON EVERYBODY**!" Lee grabbed Clementine's shoulder instinctively, supporting her against the sudden deceleration, while Dominic continued to stare at the ground, a broken mess.

* * *

"Do you hear that?" Omid asked his girlfriend as they stepped closer to the bridge, the brown railing of false security torn with a tanker dangling from the rails, hovering like a threatening disaster over the train tracks. Abandoned cars and littering debris surrounded the couple. A screeching noise rang out from below, growing in intensity with each passing second.

"Is that a train?" Christa questioned from beside him, stopping abruptly in their trot.

"God, I hope it's a train. How cool would that be? A working train!" Omid cheered as he ran forward, straight towards the bridge, Christa dragging in tow. Gravel crunched under their feet as the sun beat down on them with a mighty rein. The clear sky kissed their eyes as they dropped to the tracks. Below, a black train eased to a stop just a few feet from the tanker, seconds away from blowing the entire scene to smithereens.

They watched as a group hopped off the train, every single one of them staring at the dangling tanker in defeat. A man in a brown cap with a moustache screamed out, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! **FUCK! FUUUUUUCK!** "

"Whoa," Omid whispered, exchanging a saddened glance with his girlfriend, "He's not happy."

"Obviously," Christa deadpanned, her eyes turning to snakes. "Come on, we should get moving, before they see us."

From below, they heard another voice call out, "Maybe we could walk?"

"That's fucking stupid, Ben," The man that had shouted earlier muttered.

"I'm just sayin'..." A defeated whisper ushered from the boy.

"Ben," Another boy sighed. "Please just shut up."

Omid turned to his girlfriend, a gleam of hope in his eyes, his voice just as jubilant, "Listen, we need to find a group, for when you have the baby."

"No, we don't," Christa argued, "We're fine by ourselves, and these guys don't sound that friendly." She peaked at the angry hick before returning Omid's gaze.

A deeper voice spoke beneath them, piquing Omid's interest, "I ain't got much experience with y'all's fortitude, but we could probably deal with that. We got a goddamn train!"

"That thing's not full of milk, Charles," The first man spat, "That's gas or diesel; something that's gonna explode."

"You gotta get ahold of yourself," the man named Charles spoke simply, "This is a crew here."

"This ain't shit!" came another shout.

Christa tugged on Omid's arm, bringing him back to her attention. "Come on, honey. We really should go…"

"We should help them," Omid suggested, ignoring his girlfriend's command, "Who knows, maybe they _are_ nice."

As he approached the edge of the bridge, Christa hissed, "Omid!"

"Yo, you keep screaming like that and you're gonna get your face chewed off!" Omid called down to the strange group.

Christa sighed, realizing now she couldn't walk away anymore. She strolled to her boyfriend and yelled down, "Are you guys going to be trouble? Because we could've just kept walking."

"No, we're friendly!" A black man called out from beside the man in the cap, he turned to the man next to him as his hand raised, saying, "Put your hand down, Ken."

Christa shrugged, "That's what everybody says." She hollered.

"We know," The black man stated simply.

"Let's give these guys a break," Omid whispered to his girlfriend, watching the black man's movements.

"We'll see," She muttered in a neutral tone.

Omid turned back to the group below them, "You guys got a problem with your train?"

"Yeah," The baseball capped man muttered, "you're standing right in front of it." A smirk appearing on his face.

"Dude, it's a wreck," Omid added, gazing at the wrecked tanker beside him, "It's not so bad from up here. Send your buddy up to have a look."

The two men exchanged a few words before the black man walked towards a ladder attached to one of the bridge's supports.

"I don't know, Omid. They don't seem all that trustworthy," Christa whispered, her eyes jotting from the man with the cap to the guy with the overly messed up gray hair.

Omid shrugged, "you just don't want to be in a group again; they seem alright to me." His eyes pleaded with hers as he turned back towards the group.

They gazed down as the man reached the ladder, stopping shortly as he looked up and muttered under his breath. "If I come up there, you better not be murderers or thieves."

"I guess you'll have to find out," Christa deadpanned, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Come on Christa, a group of guys is what we need," Omid pleaded to Christa, an apology itching in his eyes.

"They're what you think we need," Christa shot back, staring at her lover. "We're doing _fine_."

"For now," Omid sighed, "What about when…?"

"Stop it," Christa lectured as the strange man reached the top of the ladder.

The man wore a tattered blue shirt, half unbuttoned at the top, revealing a white undershirt ridden with dirt and debris. His beige jeans looked well, yet noticeably worn. The older man's face looked sunken in, as if he hadn't eaten in a few days. His beard looked trimmed, but bushed when compared to the rest of his cheeks. He stood tall, confident yet humble before the younger ones. His arms varied of different bruises and cuts, his legs were no exception. He seemed alright, as alright as Christa could accept.

"Hey dude," her boyfriend greeted him, "I'm Omid." He stuck out his arm graciously, reaching for the older man's.

"Lee," The taller man sighed, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Christa," She added, her eyes darting to the black hunk of metal. "What's the deal with the train?"

Lee shrugged, "We're driving it." His hands itching the back of his neck as he spoke.

" **Oh, man**!" Omid shouted in glee, his eyes bulging with the excitement.

Lee's face fell as he let out a long breath, "Look, you want to help us out? We could use some able bodies and…" His voice trailed off as he realized the severity of his plea, "yeah, we really need some help." He stared into the two new faces; hope stood before him, as scrutiny pierced him with the other.

"What's in it-" Christa started before a movement caught her eye, a young girl peeked over the edge, clinging onto the ladder.

"Oh shit!" Omid cheered, "Goddamn, you guys have a kid!" Giggles erupted from his mouth as he inched closer to the ladder, ecstatic to meet the little person.

"What are you doing up here?" Lee asked the girl once she joined them on the road. The little girl hurried towards Lee, a white and blue ball cap covering her head, with little strips of curly black hair poked out in two tied bunches. She wore a large red hoodie, with the word 'Brooklyn' stenciled on the front. A black skirt fell underneath the hoodie's rim, going down past her knees. Her sneakers screamed worn as they stomped on the asphalt.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've seen a kid?!" Omid asked happily, gazing at the little girl as if she was the most interesting thing he's seen all week, "Shit! What's your name?"

The girl hid behind Lee, a smile soon sneaking onto her face as she mumbled in a soft voice, "Clementine."

"Oh, so he gets the swear?" Lee said sarcastically, repeating Dominic's words from three months ago as a smile erupted on his face.

"Well this is great!" Omid cheered, admiring the little girl and turning to his girlfriend, "See, things are looking up!"

She ignored his comment as she gazed at the two, "You're not her dad." Her menacing eyes roaming towards Lee. "He down there?"

"It's that obvious?" Lee inquired, bowing his head.

"To me," She stated, eyes still fixed on him.

"And no, he's not down there." He muttered.

"Hmm. What's your story?" Christa asked, her eyes cutting through him, searching for the truth within his guilty corpse.

"I came across Clementine alone the first day all of this happened," Lee started, patting the little girl's hat, "We've been together ever since." He sighed as he returned his eyes to the snake that interrogated him.

"And everybody down there," Christa pointed towards the group below, each wandering about, examining their surroundings. "They're cool?" Her eyebrows raised as she glanced at each one individually, criticizing each one meticulously; opinions confirmed.

"Well," Lee gazed at each member of the group, "We just met Chuck. He's okay. Ben, the teenager in the hoodie, well, he's young and stupid," he silently laughed at his own joke, moving on to the next teen. "Dominic was with me when we found Clementine. He's a good kid, but got shot yesterday by our last leader." The latter part of his phrase drowned as he remembered that fatal night. "Carley's… interesting." His lips curled as he described her. "She's been giving me advice since day one. And…" He swallowed the lump coalescing in his throat. "Kenny lost his wife and kid…"

"Ouch, how long ago?" Omid moaned, his tone instantly changing from glee to sadness.

"What time is it?" Lee mumbled, eyeing Omid thoughtfully..

"Uh, I don't know. Uh, four?" He guessed, dipping his hands into his pockets, as if he would suddenly have a watch spring out.

"Maybe two hours ago," Lee finished.

"Goddamn…" Christa whispered. She hung her head, as if in mourning of the passing mother and son she would never know. She imagined herself in Kenny's shoes; she couldn't. She would be lost without Omid, and devastated if her baby died after birth… _That's so sad…_

"We're sorry for anything that's happened to you guys," Omid apologized, a small lump evident in his throat. "That train is awesome, though." He eyed the pitch-black machine with excitement.

"That tank is your real problem," Christa added, her tone softer after the newfound knowledge had sunk in. "We'll help you with it, but if we see anything we don't like, we're moving on down the road. Alone." She glared at Lee, her eyes conveying her message.

"We'd appreciate the help," Lee credited, a genuine smile blossoming as he nodded at Christa..

"You can't just blast through it, I guess," Omid laughed, eyeing the tanker, fear and excitement combining in his heart.

"If you could get it down, the rest would probably be pretty easy," Christa stated, shrugging her shoulders as they all stared at the eighteen wheeler, Clementine still clutching to Lee's leg.

Lee nodded, "We'll start there."

Christa smiled, feeling that this group may just work out. "We'll come down and settle in, and see if we can help."

* * *

Just beyond the bridge, a building stood full of rots and cobwebs of the apocalypse; an abandoned train station. The tracks running past stood bare, the wood with pierced splinters, and cracks seeping into the metal bars. The building looked as if it belonged in a horror movie; blackened spots on the walls, mildew spilling over the paint. Worn out shingles littered the floor, given up on life. Most of the roof remained intact, with the red hue spread across the top. On the front side, an improvement was stamped over the restless edges in bold, white letters: "Survivors Inside". Dominic and Clementine inched towards the forgotten structure, Dominic leading the inspection. He confronted the various metal doors, each locked to the ground as if glued shut. Wooden planks were nailed to the windows, obstructing their view inside.

"Well, looks like we're not getting in this way," Dominic deadpanned as he hopped off the train platform.

"Maybe there's another way in?" Clementine suggested from behind him, her tiny steps patting onward.

Dominic smiled, "Yup."

They strolled around the corner of the station, passing a fence with trees surrounding the other side. Seconds later, the duo found another locked door with a thin glass window perched open just above it. Clementine reached out to open the door, but felt Dominic's hand grasp hers away. "Don't, we don't know what's in there, there could be nothing, but there could be walkers too." He looked down at her, a brotherly gleam striking her as he started his lecture.

"Oh, right," She muttered softly, looking at the ground in shame.

"It's alright, Clem," He patted her shoulder before staring at the door once again, a small chuckle erupting from his chest. "We'll find a way in."

Dominic already knew the way in, of course, and stared directly at the open window just above the door, his plan processing in his brain. "Hmm…" He turned to Clementine, asking in a casual tone, "You think you can peek through that gap to find a way to unlock the door?"

"I can try…" She returned simply, glancing at the small entrance.

 _This is gonna hurt._ He picked her up and stood her on his shoulders, grunting as the wound below his shoulder shot pain down his spine, throwing him off balance. "Okay, I can see in," She declared as she examined the room within. There were a bunch of unmarked boxes, and a gated section just beyond. "What do I do now?"

"What do you see?" Dominic asked.

"Lots of crates and stuff."

"Is there anything you can unlock from there?" Dominic moaned, her weight becoming unbearable as the pain from his wound grew exponentially.

"I…" A clicking noise resounded from within the room, "I think I opened it!"

"Good job," Dominic grunted as he set her down. "Now," he sighed, the weight lifted from the hole in his back. "Let's get in there, and find us something to get that tanker down with."

As Dominic reached for the door, Clementine stated, "Let's go. Be careful!"

Dominic giggled, glancing at his tiny partner in crime, "I'm supposed to tell _you_ that."

She smiled back at him as he opened the wooden door, creaking ensuing as they stepped in, the wood reverberating off of the plain, stained walls of age. Dominic couldn't see much except for dark silhouettes of wooden crates stacked around the room, with the knick-knacked shelves placed in corners, the dust tinging everything it touched a light brown. Without hesitation, he pulled out his knife and wedged it underneath the door to keep it open. With his knife no longer on him, Dominic drew and held the pistol Lee had given him just before they left for the station in his hands, already searching for the walkers that resided within.

"Clem, I-" Dominic stuttered, his thoughts suddenly going back to what he said on the train, and the stinging pain coming from his hand. "I think I owe you an apology," Dominic whispered to the little girl next to him, swallowing the imminent lump as he continued. "I just feel like I'm losing it… I'm sorry you had to hear that back on the train."

"It's okay," Clementine muttered softly, tugging at his arm, "You're only human."

Dominic laughed, blinking the tear out of his eye. "You're smart, you know that Clem?" She smiled at him as he gazed down at her. "Nice haircut by the way." He stared as he noticed all of the uneven knots concealed between the pigtails, falling down just short of her neck.

"Thanks."

He turned and approached the gated section of the room; bars enclosed them, replacing stain-covered walls. _Looks a lot like a jail cell…_ Dominic glanced down to see a dry pool of blood stained on the floor just front of the door, a mirror replica of the prison bars. _Well, this isn't ominous…_ He sighed as he tried to push open the door, but it didn't budge, "Yep, locked." He mumbled, his eyes gliding over the metal bars to the roof. Between the final railing of the door and the wooden ceiling, there was a small gap, allowing enough room for someone small to fit through.

"There's a gap up there, but not much," Dominic stated aloud.

"We're lucky I'm so little," Clementine joked, poking Dominic's leg.

Dominic laughed, "Yeah, we are, indeed."

He reached and lifted her up again, reliving the groaning pains of his gunshot wound long enough for the little girl slip through the gap and hop down to the other side.

"Quickly, get the keys," Dominic hissed, but his blood ran cold as the hairs on the back of his neck rose. Clementine stayed glued to the spot, her eyes growing wide. _Fuck._

"Behind you!" She screamed as he turned around, raising the pistol to shoot the walker he had begrudgingly forgotten about. But another walker reached him first, fangs ready to bite down on his arm. Dominic kicked its leg, but the walker fell onto him, knocking them both to the ground. Dominic striked again, ready to shoot the undead thing in the forehead before realizing his pistol was gone. _How the fuck did I forget_ _ **two**_ _walkers?!_

"Shit!" He yelled as he fought off the walker, kicking it away before crawling towards the exit. As he stumbled back to his feet, he sprinted to the door and yanked out the knife from underneath the door, turning around just in time to bury it inside the first walkers forehead. It's moans died as suddenly as it appeared, and dropped to the floor with a thud. Dominic pulled out the knife, grunting from the exertion, and kicked the second walker in the kneecap. The abomination fell flat on it's face, mindlessly trying to get back up; Dominic stabbed it in the back of the head before it could. _Well, good thing I remember Jane's trick…_

He let out several heavy breaths before turning back to Clementine, who aimed his missing pistol at the walkers, the gun wavering back and forth as she shook, her lips quivering in fear. "It's okay Clem, they're dead. Just… give me the gun." He sighed, striding towards the door. Before she could respond, another undead moan pierced the air, just within the gates of Hell.

Dominic sprinted to the door as fast as his legs could carry him, screaming to Clementine, " **GET ME THE KEYS, NOW!** "

She stared at him wild-eyed before turning around and grabbing the keys from a keyrack on the wall, throwing them to Dominic, who fumbled to unlock the door, wrists jumping as the moans grew closer. Clementine hid behind him as she shoved the gun in his palm. He clutched the pistol like a lifeline, aiming it at the walker.

 **BANG**

The bullet pierced the walker's heart, sending it tumbling backwards, but it still breathed its demon air. His ears rang, the gunshot echoing within the confined space of the station. He fired again, this time aiming for the head. It's moans died on its lips as the bullet pierced its brain, splaying grey matter onto the walls and floor.

Dominic let out a sigh of relief, "That was close…"

"That didn't go so good," Clementine moaned, staring up at him wild-eyed.

"No, it didn't," Dominic sighed as he reached out for her, placing a hand on her cheek and sending him back to his fucked up reality. "But we're okay. Everything's okay."

With that, she smiled up at him once more, feeling reassured. Just outside, Christa's voice called out, "What's going on? I thought I heard gunshots!"

"We're fine!" Dominic called back, grabbing Clementine's hand as they approached the exit once more.

Christa opened the door and stared at the dead walkers littering the floor. "We found some walkers," Dominic deadpanned, looking back at the guts strewn about the station. _Three more for me…_

Her eyebrow shot up, "You and an eight year old versus three of them, huh?" She sighed, crossing her arms as she overlooked the undead corpses.

"We handled it," Dominic insisted, giving the little girl next to him a proud smile.

"Yeah, it looks like," Christa stated, a harsh tone evident in her voice, "What if you hadn't?" She sighed as she turned back towards the door, "I'm going to go make sure the noise didn't cause us any problems."

"That's a good idea," Clementine added happily.

Christa looked back and gave her a quick smile, then stared at Dominic, "God, I hope you and Lee know what you're doing with her."

He sighed as his movements became second nature, and the thoughts running through his mind appeared before him. Despite knowing everything he knew, sometimes he found himself in the position of questioning his ability to keep people alive. He usually didn't worry about Clementine, since he knew she'd be safe, but what if at some point, something he does changes that and she dies? He swallowed the poisonous entity with spite as he looked towards the unseen gravel. "Me too," He muttered.

"For her sake," Christa spat.

After she left the station, he turned back to Clementine, smiling at her as the next lecture formed in his mind, "So, what did we learn today?"

"That I'm not ready for a gun…" She whimpered.

"Well, yes," Dominic laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "But, we also learned not to be afraid." He knelt down before her, looking into her troubled eyes. "They should've got us, but we got them instead."

A small grin etched it's way across her face as this new lesson dawned on her, "Ohhh!" Her eyes beamed at this new revelation.

Dominic gave her a quick high five, his eyes darting across the room until they found their target. "Now, let's find us something to get that tanker down."

* * *

"I found a blowtorch in the station," Dominic called out, holding the heavy gas tank in his hand as they hurried back to the group. "Should work for getting that tank down!"

"Good work, Dominic," Lee patted the boy on the arm as he took the tank from him.

"Excellent," Omid smiled, turning to Lee, "I'll come up there with you to have a look."

Lee nodded, following the shorter man up the ladder. Once they were at the bridge again, he set down the blowtorch next to the tanker and turned it on, but no flames erupted out of the nozzle.

"Shit," Lee swore.

"What's up?" Omid asked, looking over Lee's shoulder for a peek.

"The hose has a leak in it," the older man stated, examining the blasted machine.

"Turn it off, dude! I don't want my eyebrows burned off!" The young boy exclaimed as he backed away from the blowtorch, as if it was going to explode. Lee spun the throttle around until the hissing of the gas ceased. After a moment, Omid continued, "Better plug that leak with something."

"Well, I did grab this from that truck over there," Lee shrugged, pulling out a roll of tape from his pocket.

"Perfect!" Omid cheered like an achieved youngster.

Lee took the tape, unraveling its sticky tongue and wrapping it around the leak, silently hoping that it'll hold. Finally, he twisted the nozzle again, adrenaline pumping through his veins as a flame bursted out, the heat covering his face as the fiery colors painted his eyes. He melted away at the metal holding the tank to the tanker, Omid shouting, "That's crazy, look at it go!"

"Just about got it!" Lee hissed as he gave the torch one final push.

Omid watched as the tanker slowly started to roll backwards, right towards Lee. He shot forward, gripping the older man's arm and pulling him back. Lee dropped the torch, and hurled backwards onto his spine.

"Whoa, thanks," Lee gasped as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"No sweat, man," Omid heaved.

"This thing is hanging by a thread, the smallest cut and it'll go," Lee sighed, trying to figure out some way he could get to the cut he had made. That's when the idea struck him.

He held out the blowtorch to Omid, the younger man staring at him indignantly. "Here. The weak portion of the coupling is out of my reach," Lee stated.

"You think it'll be within mine?" The shorter man scoffed, staring at the hunk of metal before him.

Lee chuckled, "No, but I'm going to dangle you over that ledge."

"The **hell** you are!" Omid scoffed once more, but that didn't stop Lee from dangling him over the edge.

"God, you're a real son of a bitch, aren't you?!" Omid shouted as he stared down at the ground beneath him, using the blowtorch to cut away at the final strand of metal holding the tank to the truck.

Lee laughed, "Shut up and start cutting."

Ben stood atop the boxcar just below, staring off into the distance until something caught his eye. Several somethings. _Oh my god._ "Guys… there's something coming!" He shouted to the group behind him.

" **WHAT THE WHAT**!" Omid stuttered as he gazed over the tanker, witnessing a massive herd of walkers slowly walking towards them down the train track.

"There must be thousands…!" Lee gasped, tightening his grip on the man he had dangled over the ledge, his wrist turning pale.

"Lee, get that thing down! We need to move!" Dominic shouted from below, glancing between the Horde from Hell and the tanker awaiting to fall.

"Clem, get on the train!" Carley grabbed the little girl and pulled her into the lone boxcar, hiding the little girl behind her, making herself a human shield.

"We gotta go!" Ben screamed, running towards the front of the train, hopping inside.

"Fuck…" Lee breathed, "Omid! **CUT! CUT!** "

" **I am!** " He countered indignantly, and after a few more seconds, he shouted again, "It's going! Pull me up!"

There was a loud creaking noise as the tanker snapped off and fell to the ground. Lee pulled Omid out of the way as the tanker tore down the ladder they used to get up, leaving a thump in return, resonating throughout the surround brush. _Shit_.

" **KENNY, GO!** " Lee called out, hoping the Floridian could hear him below.

They watched as the train inched forward. Loud creaks and screeches pierced the air as the wheels groaned against the metal axles. Everyone hopped aboard as fast as they could, no one daring to look back at the massive herd behind them.

Meanwhile, gas poured out of the fallen tanker, covering the ground beneath them. That's when Lee's next idea dawned on him.

"Shit, what the hell do we do now?!" Omid shouted to Lee, who stared down at the still blowing blowtorch.

"Hope to God this works…" He whispered as he kicked the blowtorch off of the bridge, straight into the pool of gas below, igniting it instantly into a burning inferno.

"Holy crap!" Omid watched as it fell, the torch disappearing into a cloud of fire, scorching the ground beneath it. They turned around and ran to the opposite side of the bridge as the train passed beneath them, the wind brushing them forward.

"We gotta jump!" Lee yelled to Omid, the roaring rage of the train piercing their ears.

"What?! No way!" Omid refused as Lee hopped onto the other side of the barrier, gazing down at the moving train beneath them. Omid joined him, rather hesitantly.

"Fine," Lee hollered, "You stay here and we'll go with your lady!"

" **The hell you will!** " Omid shouted back as he jumped off, his legs connecting with the roof of the train before rolling off onto the ground below, inches away from the fuming pits of Hell.

"Shit!" Christa screamed out as she jumped off the train, running for her downed boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Lee jumped off of the bridge and landed atop the boxcar roof, unharmed. "Oof!"

Christa pulled Omid to his feet before they ran towards the train, Christa screaming in motivation, "Run!"

Lee swung himself into the boxcar, finding Dominic, Clementine, and Carley inside and unharmed. Dominic and Lee reached out for them, pulling them both in before they could fall behind.

"Thank you…" Christa gasped as they laid on the wooden floor, staring up at the metal ceiling.

"Holy shit," Dominic panted as he and Lee stared out the train and at the herd behind them.

A tiny voice mumbled behind him, invoking smiles from Dominic and Lee. "Swear…"

"That… was a lot… of them!" Omid breathed, staring out into the now burning wasteland.

"Are you hurt…?" Clementine asked Lee.

"No, we're okay…" Lee muttered.

"Speak for yourself!" Omid scoffed, staring down at his bruised ankle."My leg is fucked."

"We're fine Clementine, we're fine," Christa moaned for them.

"Jesus, guys, that was intense," Carley sighed, laying her head against the metal wall, soaking in the events that just surpassed. "Can't we just go back to a time when all we did was just sit around in a motel, doing nothing?"

Lee smiled and sat next to her, laying his head close to hers. "That'd be the day."

* * *

Everything was quiet once more. Lee stood behind Kenny in the cabin, as the city of Savannah finally came into view. _We've made it, we've finally made it!_ Beside him, Carley sighed, "Thank God."

"It's been a long trip," Lee muttered, his thoughts dwelling on what Dominic told him earlier that day. "I really hope it's worth it."

"It will," Kenny muttered, smiling at his two compatriots. "Next stop, the Atlantic."

Lee gazed at Clementine's sleeping form on the other side of the cabin, her head leaning against the metal wall. He sighed, "We're gonna try finding Clementine's parents when we get there."

"I thought they were dead," Kenny whispered.

"Looking for them, then." He sighed, realizing what his Floridian comrade had said was most likely true.

"That's not the plan," Kenny spat.

"Kenny…" Carley started, but Lee interrupted her plea.

"Well, it's ours," Lee argued, exchanging a look with Carley, "I'm sure Dominic will support it."

He turned back to Kenny, putting a hand on the man's shoulder, "You'll be alright."

"I'll be alive, I guess," Kenny murmured, his eyes dropping to the floor as memories flashed through his brain. Katjaa greeting him when he got back from those long fishing trips. Duck's silly face when he was excited about something. And then, their tragic deaths. It sent him into a kind of Hell he never thought possible. "Blood in my heart, blood in my brain at least."

"We'll leave you to your thoughts," Carley consoled Kenny, before pulling Lee aside.

They peered down at the sleeping girl, as if she was their own child. Lee sighed, "She's out cold like I never seen."

"It's good that-" Carley's voice was cut off by a strange static noise emanating from Clementine's backpack.

Lee picked up the backpack, and searched through it, finding Clementine's busted radio within. Except, it wasn't as busted as he thought.

The static gave away to a voice, barely audible underneath it all, " _Hellooo there?_ "

"What the…?" Lee stared down in awe at the radio, unable to believe his ears. The radio worked! But who the hell was on the other end?

" _Can't wait for you to get to Savannah, Clementine. I've got your parents right here, and you be sure to find me, whether Lee and Dominic want you to or not._ _Now what I need-_ " The radio cut off, the voice that had resounded in the cabin replaced by unbearable silence.

"Holy shit…" Lee gasped.

"I thought that fucking thing was broken!" Kenny shouted.

"So did I," Lee muttered, turning back to Kenny and Carley.

"Who the **fuck** was that?" Carley asked, "If he's convinced Clem that he has her parents…" She stared again at the sleeping girl, fear filling her mind for the child.

Kenny stared at them, muttering in a hushed voice, "Ya'll might wanna rethink your plan…"


	11. The City of the Dead

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 11: The City of the Dead**

* * *

 **Day 106**

The streets moved to the ominous drone of their pulse as the group stepped into Savannah territory. Their feet roared over the abundant asphalt as the nine survivors scanned for any signs of movement. The scene remained in a perfect black and white frame as they became the moving picture, trotting the gravel and eyeing the buildings around them, weapons in arms as the army of noise invaded the city.

Dominic's pulse pounded in his ears as his breaths became uneven and heavy, his shoulder piercing his body with every step, and legs pressuring him to move forward. The chill November air breathed past his neck, sending uncondescending chills down his spine. As he glanced around at his comrades, the same, lifeless face burned on all of their faces, and the empty fear resided in their eyes. With every new step, the eerie atmosphere inched under his skin, crawling like a disease to manifest itself into his limbs, urging like a command to turn around and crawl away from the city; never to return. He didn't like it, in fact, he _hated_ it. His only desire was to run and get out the hell out of the city as quickly as they had come. Yet, Kenny marched on down the road, with only one purpose left for him to live for: finding a damn boat, and getting them the hell out of there. Lee followed the Floridian, his eyes darting between Carley, whom stared blankly at the ground next to him, and Clementine, who stared directly at her radio, which now resided on Lee's belt. Chuck held a shovel in his hand with ease, possibly the only one not haunted by the sight; the silent roads didn't intimidate him, rather it edged him forward, to whatever destination laid ahead. Christa and Omid followed shortly behind, the shorter man grunting as his leg flared in pain and collapsed against an abandoned car, moaning as Christa hoisted him up. Trailing behind everyone else was Dominic and Ben, both too preoccupied with their thoughts to admire the foreboding street before them.

The roads seemed to stretch on for eternity; rotten building after rotten building. Houses and forgotten businesses surpassed the sidewalks; each bearing their own horrific story. Decay was etched on every door frame, some highlighted in blood, while others had the words "infected inside" spraypainted on them. To their left, stood a large church, its bell tower just as silent as the rest of the city, the glorified temple standing on the western edge of town. To their right, cookie-cutter homes sat abandoned and decayed. Litter and debris blew across the street like tumbleweeds while carcasses of cars stripped bare sat creaking in the wind, the leftover metal rotting from overexposed days in drenching weather, but now cold and rough for any passerby to feel. Willow trees hung their leaves over the road like vines, growing longer with each passing week with no gardener to trim them, only adding on to the emptiness of this godforsaken place. Savannah truly was the city of the dead, not a single creature stirring in the post-apocalyptic tranquility of the moment.

Dearly missing her beloved radio, as it jumbled on the older man's belt loop. Clementine looked up at Lee, her voice shaking as she asked with her best puppy-dog eyes, "Can't I just hold it?"

Dominic's eyes shot up from his inner thoughts to the two in an instant as Lee gave her a concerned look, his voice hesitant. "Not now, Clementine. Maybe later, okay?" Lee and Carley exchanged worried glances before returning them to the dark road ahead.

Clementine's eyes fell to the pavement once more with that, the air in her lungs rushing out in defeat. "Okay."

The strange voice from the radio echoed in Lee's brain, repeating the same words over and over like a record player stuck on the same note. " _Can't wait for you to get to Savannah, Clementine. I've got your parents right here, and you be sure to find me, whether Lee and Dominic want you to or not._ " Something about that voice sent a shiver down his spine as he took another step. The voice was soft, but something sinister lied behind that tone, something Lee couldn't quite put his finger on. He desperately wanted to ask Dominic about it, but with so many around who didn't know the secret, he simply couldn't. Instead, he peered at the boy, who scratched softly at his thin brown beard, deep in his own thoughts. He then peered at Omid, who limped alongside his girlfriend. The taller women wrapped her arm around him to keep him steady.

"How's Omid?" He inquired, his voice barely a whisper as Christa gazed back at him, a wave of sadness washing over her.

"His leg's pretty bad," She mumbled as her eyes fell to Omid's bandaged leg, crimson red patches staining the white paper, different tones etched across the morbid canvas.

Omid turned to look at both of them, grunting in defiance, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine, you need to rest," Christa shot back to her boyfriend before turning back to Lee and Carley, "He needs to rest."

A frown etched it's way across Lee's face as the situation dawned on him. On one front, he had an injured man who desperately needed rest, and on the other, a broken man who wouldn't stop for anything until he found a boat. He just didn't know what to do.

Carley spoke first, "We'll find somewhere to rest soon; we're too exposed out here." Her eyes scanned the open road, searching for a safe house, or potential dangers; Lee couldn't pinpoint which.

"Kenny, how much farther to the riverfront?" He asked to the man's back.

Kenny shrugged, not looking back at his friend. "Should be just a few more blocks up ahead."

"And there'll be boats there?" Christa inquired. She shook her head as she said it, but kept moving as hope was the only thing keeping them going anymore, so all she could do was have faith that one might remain.

"There sure as hell better be," Lee muttered, barely hearing Dominic's faint whisper of "there won't be" behind him.

"There'll be boats," Kenny insisted, his eyes dead centered and target locked to the empty street ahead. "Have to be…" he whispered, fighting to convince himself just as much as the group behind him. "Have to be..."

"It's going to be okay," Ben pitched in, half to the depressed boy next to him and half to the group at large. "Kenny knows what he's doing."

"If Kenny knew what he was doing, we wouldn't be in this damn city in the first place," Dominic muttered to Ben, his words low enough to not carry to the baseball-capped man in the lead.

"What's with you and hating this-" Ben's question stopped cold as the previously silent church bells rang with fierce intensity, echoing into the sleeping city like a dinner bell.

"What the hell…?!" Ben gasped, him and everyone else stopping cold as the group's eyes shot up towards the church.

"Maybe this city's not so dead after all…" Christa muttered under her breath.

"Keep moving," Kenny barked, turning around to the frozen group behind him. "No one's ringing that bell, it's automatic, on a timer."

Lee checked his watch, his eyebrow raising in response. "What kind of church bell goes off at twenty past the hour?" His eyes returned to the church roof once more, just in time to see a hooded silhouette disappear beneath the peak and onto the opposite side. He glared back at the group, pointing his finger straight at the bell tower. "Someone's up there!"

"A-are you sure?" Ben stuttered as he examined the church roof carefully. "I don't see anything."

"I know what I saw!" Lee insisted, turning toward the group, "I'm telling you, there's someone up in that bell tower! Someone alive!"

"I saw it too," Dominic muttered, everyone's attention now on the breaking boy, "Someone in a hoodie, light frame, like a girl."

Before anyone else could respond, the busted radio roared to life again, static flaring and disappearing within an instant. Everyone stood still as all eyes rested upon the little radio on Lee's belt.

" _If I were you, I'd get out of the street. Now._ " The voice rang clear as day: harsh, angry, hateful even.

"I thought you said that thing didn't work!" Christa shouted at Lee, nearly dropping Omid in her shock. Lee's eyes widened as the stranger's words sunk in.

He didn't answer. Without hesitating, he pushed down the transmit button and spat out, " **Who the hell is this?!** "

The only answer received was a head full of static. "Hello? Hello?! **I said answer me!** "

Next to him, Clementine's eyes fell to the pavement. Her secret was now out in the open, ready to be torn apart by the group. The air grew still as they frantically checked the streets: doors, intersections, windows, rooftops, and all. They searched everywhere for any potential danger coming towards them, but nothing came. When the coast seemed clear, Omid broke the silence.

"What the hell was that? Is someone trying to **fuck** with us?"

"Sounded more like a warning…" Ben spoke, fear racing as his voice quivered, his body shaking as the fear slid down his spine.

"Guys, we should get going, this isn't going to end well…" Dominic whispered from behind Lee and Ben, barely visible to the rest of the group.

"Dominic's right, we should get out of here!" Carley yelled to the group, "Those bells are going to-"

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls…" Chuck stated flatly, interrupting Carley and staring directly at the oncoming storm.

"What're you yammerin' on about?" Kenny spat at the older man, his eyes bulging out of the sockets as the storm came into view.

"It tolls for thee…"

They stood, hundreds of them, walking towards them like moths to a flame. Everyone stared, frozen as the fear paralyzed them. They watched the walkers pour into the intersection. Their moans echoed like demons, speeding towards them like a train, and the nine survivors were onboarding passengers to Hell. Dominic did the only thing he could in Hell, screaming out to his dumbfounded group, " **EVERYBODY RUN!** "

No one needed to be told twice. They immediately turned on heel, sprinting back the way they came, only to be paralyzed once more as more walkers poured onto the street, blocking their only way out. They were trapped.

"Shit," Lee gasped, his eyes darting in between the group and the walkers, "Anyone see an opening?!"

"In here!" Dominic's voice rang out as he pulled open a large black gate. The group ran in without question, the young man pulling the gate closed behind them as quickly as he could. Several walkers pushed themselves against the gate, their hunger for flesh driving them forward.

"Everyone get back!" Dominic shouted as he pulled out his pistol. His crosshairs met with the walker in the center. The walker's jaw hung by a thin thread of flesh, flapping violently as it smashed against the gate. Only one eye had its pupil, which glared at him, as white as snow. Its clothes were tattered and falling off, revealing parts that Dominic never wanted to see on a reanimated corpse. _It was once a girl._ It was beyond revolting.

Footsteps echoed off the brick walls as four others joined Dominic. Lee and Kenny appeared beside him, guns in arms. To his left, Chuck and Carley opened fire into the ravenous herd. Kenny continued staring at the walkers, shooting for heads while he shouted back to the rest of the group, his voice a mere whisper through the chaos. "Someone find us a way out of here! We'll hold these bastards off."

The backyard suddenly burst into life as everyone searched for a way out, embedded in a perimeter of faint hope behind the metal fence. An alleyway lay just beyond the fence at the far edge of the property, running in between several of the cookie-cutter homes in the neighborhood. The house reigning over the yard was locked up tight; boards covered every inch of the dusty windows, and the back door was locked. As Omid scanned the home, he noticed only one way to escape; through the alley.

"The door's locked, we're trapped!" Ben shouted over the madness, falling back closer to the house, his fully loaded gun quivering in his palms.

"Omid," Christa cried to her boyfriend, turning to him with a look of desperation, "Now's the time for one of your 'brilliant' ideas…"

"I think I've got one, babe."

As the chaotic war raged, a loud metallic crack pierced the air. Everyone turned to watch in horror as dozens of walkers crawled through the gate, slowly crowding the thin strip of yard left. Without hesitation, Dominic fired the first shot, right into the center of the hideous walker's forehead. Like an order given by a general to his soldiers, everyone followed suit, downing five other walkers before they heard Omid's shout from against the fence.

" **THERE'S AN ALLEY JUST BEYOND THE FENCE, IT'S THE ONLY WAY OUT!** "

"Now that sounds like a plan!" Dominic cheered as he fired once more into the approaching horde before turning back and running straight for the metal fence. Lee and Kenny continued to shoot while Carley and Chuck took turns sprinting out of the fray. Christa helped her injured boyfriend over the fence before hopping over herself. Dominic and Ben scooped up Clementine, helping her climb over as Christa caught her on the other side. Chuck tossed his guitar over to Dominic before scaling the fence himself, reaching his hand out for Dominic to toss it back once he landed on the other side. Carley continued to fire into the approaching herd, her back against the fence.

"Ben, hop over, we'll help Lee and Kenny!" Dominic ordered the younger boy who nodded uneasily and jumped up onto the fence, as if eager to leave the danger zone behind.

Lee and Kenny joined Carley beside the fence, backs pressed as they held their weapons straight and fired into the approaching herd. The rotting flesh devoured their noses as each walker inched closer, destroying the gap between man and corpse. As each dreaded second passed, the shots roared, and feets scrambled. As Kenny pulled the trigger, the pistol merely clicked, with the walkers still standing.. Desperately, he repeatedly pulled the trigger, but the undead just kept coming; he was out of ammo. "Fuck! Come on Lee!"

Dominic and Carley raised their pistols and fired into the horde once more while Kenny scrambled over.

"Lee!" Carley shouted over the gunfire, "We have to go, now!"

Lee fired two more shots into the walker horde before turning back to Carley and Dominic. They hopped over together, a sense of deja vu washing over the two men before they were greeted by the shaken group below.

"Shit, that was close…" Omid gasped, leaning against another fence opposite the way they came.

"Damn right, " Kenny muttered, panting. "Let's get moving."

As the undead moans grew louder in the backyard they were once in, the group escaped down the new alley; rocks strolled through the path as their feets kicked the dirt, brushing the air they stomped through. Surrounding them was the black metal barricade, scorching hot as Clementine bumped into the fiery metal, letting out a groan of pain. Dominic let out a silent curse as rocks buried themselves into his shoe, for what felt like the millionth time in his life. As the group reached the tail end of the alley, they hopped into another backyard. This one thankfully devoid of the foul creatures. A red, wooden dog house stood in the corner next to the metal fence they had climbed over. The once lush green grass that sprouted within the property, now lay a barren wasteland. On the opposite end was a two-story brick house, the windows also barred and sealed. _It's the same house from the game…_ Dominic found himself thinking as he carefully examined the home; a stone porch sat before the home, with bushes resting against the brown bricks. He ran to the door, ready to simply get away from the roaring moans of the walkers nearby. The door was locked of course, but he found the automated pet door instantly.

Behind him, he could hear Omid and Christa speaking in mere whispers. "You okay, honey?"

"Yeah..." Omid took in a deep breath, the pain from running on his injured leg ebbing away, "Yeah, I'm fine."

 _Well, that a plus._ Dominic thought, realizing what he's done.. Chuck hadn't died in the sewers of Savannah, he was here: alive and well. He changed everything by leading them into that backyard, and saved Omid from falling on his leg and opening his wound. Dominic couldn't help but smile, the events unfolding before him as he stared into the glass. He somehow managed to save two people in one moment. _Things are finally looking up._

"Are they gone?" Clementine's raspy voice rang out from where she sat down against the brick fence.

"Don't worry, sweet pea," Lee soothed as he sat down next to her, his breathing finally slowing to a controllable pace. "They're gone."

"They're still out on the street though," Carley muttered, resting her back against the warm bricks as her eyes took in the backyard around her. "We should lay low for a bit; wait for them to pass."

"Well," Dominic added, Carley's words forcing him to speak up, "The door's locked, but…" He smiled as he prepared his next statement, "There _is_ a pet door here, one of us could slip inside and unlock the door."

Kenny laughed, "Well lookie here, looks like good ole Dom's back."

"I never left," Dominic returned flatly.

They shared a moment of laughter before Lee joined Dominic at the door, pushing against the tiny slip of metal. He frowned as it remained shut. "It's locked."

"Locked?" Kenny scoffed, hardly believing his ears, "Who the hell ever heard of a locked doggie door?"

"I have," Omid chipped in from where he and his girlfriend sat. "My neighbor had one just like that. It's radio-controlled, the dog wears a collar with a chip in it so the door only opens when the dog gets close to it."

Kenny found himself laughing once more. "Well shit, every day's a school day."

"Alright, so… where's the dog?" Ben asked. Lee and Dominic exchanged glances before turning back to the rotting dog house, and the plastic cross stuck into the ground right next to it.

"I… think we found it," Dominic muttered, gulping down the lump in his throat before turning to Chuck.

"Hey Chuck," Dominic called out to the older man, who merely grunted his acknowledgement. "Mind if I borrow your shovel real quick?"

"Just bring it back in one piece," He spoke smugly before tossing the shovel to Dominic, who barely caught it in his hands.

 _God, this is gonna suck._ He swallowed the lump that returned in his throat as he approached the poor dog's grave. The morbid thoughts ran wild as he realized he was disturbing a creature's peace just to get its collar, but it had to be done. He stared down at the grave below him, but didn't see a deceased dog inside, rather he saw the bodies of everyone he's lost so far, and those yet to come. He blinked as the bodies were smeared with the image of Lee's death, searing his brain. His grip on the shovel tightened as he blinked away their bodies, replacing it with the dirt that actually laid there. He couldn't handle it; he must have been shaking, since the next thing he knew, Lee's hand was on his shoulder.

"Let me do it," Lee whispered to him softly, realizing the boy in front of him had seen enough dead things in his life so far, he didn't want to add a dead dog to the list.

"Okay, okay," Dominic whispered as he was brought back to the real world, handing Lee the shovel, "I just…"

"It's okay," Lee patted the boy on the back, "Go sit down with Clem and Carley, and let me handle things for a while."

The boy begrudgingly nodded, his frame slumped over as thoughts invaded his mind. The ground distorted with every step. _What the hell is wrong with you? Get a grip, Dominic, you're falling apart._ He shook his head as he stepped closer to the edge, his breath quivering as he tried to focus on the tiny figure ahead. _You can't save people like this._ He plopped down next to Clementine, her eyes instantly gazing up at him in concern as she saw his hands shaking violently. He swayed as the leap below frayed into an altered state of mind, drifting him over into a false embrace. _How can I save my friends if I can't even save myself?_ He fell.

The grave didn't just taunt Dominic, however; Lee stared down at the black mound of dirt, disgusted with himself, almost sure it included flesh inside the moist waste. It was one thing to kill the dead, but another to dig up an innocent animal for its collar. He lifted the shovel, ready to thrust it into the dirt when Omid's voice cut through the air. "Hey, be careful. Digging up dead things isn't what it used to be, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Lee mumbled, shuddering at this new revelation. "I hear you."

He thrusted the shovel into the earth. As Clementine, Ben, Carley, and Kenny approached the grave, each adult gazed down with apprehension, while Clementine gazed at Lee with curiosity, muttering to her protector as she avoided eye contact with the hole growing deeper into the earth. "What's buried down there?"

"It's a dog," Dominic whispered from his seat on the ground, his eyes averted from the grave, instead concentrated on the green blades of grass below him, each blade a reminiscence of a lost cause, to which he plucked from its root, dropping it back onto the soil, where he destined them to shrivel and die, just like his past.

Silence fell as Clementine's eyes drifted to the grave once more, now recognizing the outline of the bones jutting out of the dirt. Before she could realize what the bones were from, Christa wrapped her arm around the little girl and led her away. "Clementine, honey, come sit with me and Omid, let Lee work."

Lee continued to thrust the shovel into the grave until the rotten corpse of the dog was fully unearthed. They all took a step back as the unspeakable smell escaped its long prison, forcing the group to cover their noses in disgust as its wrath surrounded them.

Inside the grave, the corpse had eroded, leaving only the skeletal remain. It couldn't had been dead for too many years, for the bones seemed to still be intact. The remains of the pooch had been infested with the earthly matters of worms, which slithered to safety as Lee kicked away the final specks of dirt. The collar hung loosely around its neck, the black leather visibly weathered, with a metal piece glued to the side, dirt sticking on random spaces.

"Oh God," Ben gasped, choking on the contaminated oxygen. "Oh, that smell."

Ignoring Ben's outburst, and the tears welling in his eyes from holding his breath, Lee reached out and grabbed the corpse by the collar, fiddling with the latch. "Eugh, I can't get it off!" He reached out with his other hand to unlace the latch, but stopped short as the corpse's head fell off and rolled down into the hole below. If he wasn't retching before, he was now.

"Okay, that is **not** cool!" was Ben's response.

Christa openly vomited onto the ground, receiving shocked faces from the group in response, and an "Are you okay?" from Clementine.

"I'm fine, honey, it's just the smell," Christa spluttered while holding back another surge of vomit.

"Are you sure you-" Omid started before Christa cut him off with, "I said I'm fine, okay?"

"That's the sickest thing I have ever seen," Carley managed to gasp out.

"You can say that again," Chuck grumbled, covering his nose.

While everyone else stared at the dog in disgust, Dominic covered his nose and fixed his sight on the grass. He dare not turn around. _Why can't you look? It's just a fucking dog._ He felt weak for staying, but he didn't want to join Christa in the Vomit Club.

"Alright," Lee managed to gasp out between gags of oxygen and vomit slowly creeping up his lungs. "Let's get this door open."

Everyone crowded around the white door as Lee stumbled out of the grave and held out the collar in his hands, whispering to himself, "Here goes nothin'..."

As he waved the collar in front of the pet door, the locking mechanism roared to life, a green LED light flashing as the thing unlocked. Kenny roared in triumph from behind him, "Yes! Goddamn!"

"You know," Dominic muttered as he approached them, staring blankly at the green light. "I don't understand how that thing even has power."

"Maybe it's on a backup battery?" Omid suggested, shrugging when the younger boy gave him a quizzical look.

"A battery that lasts for three months? Hardly." While Omid formulated his response, Lee fell to his knees and peeked inside.

"You see anything in there?" Ben asked from over Lee's shoulder.

"No," Lee stated, pulling his head back out. "Looks like it's been empty a while."

Everyone's head swiveled around as the moans of the walkers on the street grew louder, like a riot closing in; they were getting closer. Christa turned back to Lee, whispering "Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast…"

"Okay, lemme see if I can reach up in there…" Lee answered as he turned back to the door.

Carley placed her hand on his shoulder, attracting his attention."Be careful."

Lee smiled and nodded in understanding before reaching his hand in for the door handle, but felt nothing but dust and wood.. There was _no_ way he could reach it at his size. "Uugh… it's no good, I can't get it." He muttered as he stared back at the group.

Ben gazed down at the pet door before stating, "Here, let me try. I think I can-"

Before anyone could do anything, Clementine pushed past the adults and crawled into the pet door, leaving a smug Dominic and a wild-eyed Lee staring at the pet door in silence. "Clem! Are you okay? Say something!" Lee hissed.

"Don't worry, she's got it," Dominic muttered, staring down at the door with a smile stretching across his face.

One suspenseful second later, the door opened, revealing a bright-faced Clementine, cheering, "ta-da!"

"What the hell-" Lee started before Dominic cut him off with "Good job, Clem!"

"Yeah, way to go!" Ben cheered.

"I did good, right?" Clementine asked, her eyes wavering as she gazed up at Lee.

Lee sighed, realizing he was in the minority on this one, "Yes, you did. You did good." He gazed at Dominic, giving the boy a questioning stare before returning to Clementine.

Her smile grew wider as she hugged him tightly, only letting go once Omid hissed out, "Can we maybe have this conversation inside? My leg's starting to hurt like hell."

Kenny raised his pistol and peered inside, "Looks okay from here, everybody in."

* * *

Christa rushed Omid to the couch directly across from the back door, while Lee and Kenny lingered close to the door. The house was a two story, with the kitchen dominating the back half of the home. A stove stood beside the door, with a counter and fridge beside it, its usual hum long gone. Vanilla tile encircled the kitchen, with little windows placed over the counter. With no walls or doors separating the rooms, the living room stood just off to the side, a big loveseat standing in the middle. A fireplace without a fire a few feet away. A portrait of a couple stood above the fireplace, its color long gone, but cobwebs decorating its frame. Two wooden doors stood shut on either side of the fireplace, and a large window reflected out into the streets adjacent to the door.

Straight across from the kitchen was a stretch of hallway leading to the foyer, green and white stripes decorated the walls as abandoned dust covered it like a filmy layer of remorse. On the other end of the foyer stood a door, unopened for months, with a flight of stairs just around the corner, leading to the top floor.

Omid rested his head on a pillow, extending his injured leg as if it was broken with an invisible cast. Kenny, Lee, and Christa stood in a circle within the kitchen, the radio already becoming the prime target of conversation. Ben stood, isolated, watching the streets, mouth agape as countless walkers stumbled by, unmoved by their sudden presence. Dominic stood beside Ben, his eyes examining every piece of furniture like a hawk. Clementine laid her head down on the opposite loveseat, gazing at the rest of the group as Chuck strummed softly on his guitar beside her.

"So, when were you going to tell us about the radio?" Christa snapped at Kenny and Lee once everyone made themselves at home within the brick walls.

Kenny scoffed, "Tell you what?"

"That it's working! That there's someone else on the other end of that thing!" She pointed vigorously at the piece of metal hanging off of Lee's belt loop, causing Clementine to look down at the loveseat she laid on, a worried look draping down her face. "You didn't think that might be worth sharing with the rest of us?!"

"I was going to tell you," Lee countered, crossing his arms and giving this new group member no quarter. "Kenny and I only found out yesterday."

"So both of you were keeping it from the rest of us? Great." She sighed, shaking her head at Lee. "And you didn't even tell Dominic? I thought you trusted him?"

"I do trust-" Lee started before Kenny cut him off, "Who gives a shit about the damn radio? I'm more worried about whoever it was out there ringing that bell and bringing the dead down on top of us!" Kenny's eyes narrowed as his mind raced, building conspiracies in his head. "It's like they didn't want us to make it to the river!"

"What makes you think it's not the same person? Whoever was on the radio was close enough to see us in the street, and we didn't see anyone else other than the guy in the bell tower," Christa argued.

"Because that doesn't make a lick of damn sense!" Kenny spat, having heard enough of this damn woman's pestering. "Why would they bring out the dead like that and then try to warn us about it? And didn't Dominic say the bellringer looked like a girl?"

They all turned on heel when the boy in question's voice spoke behind them. "I did, yeah."

"Jesus Dominic," Lee shouted, surprised by the boy's presence, "how long have you been there?"

"Seriously, you're like a fucking ninja sometimes," Kenny muttered as his eyes grew wider.

"I've had practice" was all that Dominic said as he leaned against the archway, waiting patiently for them to continue their conversation.

"Well," Lee began, getting back on track. "I don't know who it was. All I know is, they're no friend of ours."

"Damn right," Kenny agreed. "I'm telling you, they don't want us getting to the river. Maybe they want those boats all to themselves… well, we'll see about that."

"What makes you think the bellringer isn't friendly?" Dominic chimed in before anyone else could speak. "They could simply be using the bells to lure walkers away from places they want to search."

"That sounds like a clever idea," Lee muttered, staring at the boy questionably. "But he or she put our lives at risk to do it. Not exactly friendly in my book."

"Either way, we're gonna get to those boats before anyone can do anything about it," Kenny seethed, slamming his fist on the countertop. "I'm not letting some fuckin' bell-ringer fuck this for all of us!"

"I'm not going back out there anytime soon," Christa shouted as her arms instantly crossed against her chest. "Omid needs to rest."

"Christa's right, we should rest up a bit before moving on, we've had a hell of a ride getting here," Lee said, invoking angry glares from Kenny.

"And who know's what this place might have. We're low on food, meds, fuck, about everything really," Dominic added, siding with his best friend.

"If y'all want to waste your time with this damn place, be my guest. I'm gonna go find us a boat!" Kenny snapped as he turned around, ready to storm off outside.

"Not if you don't want your face chewed off," Carley muttered from where she was listening in from the living room, "The streets are still crawling with walkers."

"You _had_ to fuckin' bring that up, didn't you," Kenny sighed before kicking the back door with his foot, leaving a decent crack in the finish. "Fine, suit yourselves. But I'm not gonna wait around too long for someone else to grab up those boats, _that's_ our ticket out of here."

Dominic laughed before whispering to Lee, "At least he isn't suicidal."

"Dominic?" Lee muttered angrily to the boy.

"Yeah?"

"For once, shut up."

"If you insist," Dominic deadpanned.

They strolled into the living room to see Omid relaxing on the antique couch. Christa instantly took the seat next to him. Clementine sat on the opposite couch with Chuck, who continued to play a light tune on his guitar. Carley, Lee, and Dominic examined the room closely, trying to find anything useful. The room felt empty without a TV, making it seem like it didn't really have a purpose in Dominic's eyes. Once they were finished checking the two closets on either side of the fireplace, Ben's voice carried to them.

"Place seems secure at least." He stuttered, turning away from the glass windows.

"I'll feel better when we know that for sure," Christa deadpanned, turning her attention to Lee and Dominic, "We need to check the whole house."

"Alright, fine," Kenny muttered, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning on and turning to Ben and Carley, "We'll take the upstairs. Lee…" He turned back to his friend. "You and Dominic check down here, make sure you check every door, understand?"

Lee nodded. "Okay."

As Kenny, Carley, and Ben strolled off and headed upstairs, Dominic shot Lee a humourous glare. "You know, for leader, you sure do get bossed around a lot."

"Well, it never was official," Lee shrugged.

"Can I help?" Clementine asked as she sprinted over to them, as if randomly appearing out of nowhere. "What if there's another locked door?" Her eyes beamed at the older gentlemen.

Lee laughed and patted her cap, "I think you've been helpful enough for one day, kiddo. Why don't you just see if Christa and Omid need anything, okay?"

Her smile instantly fell into a frown of defeat, her voice barely a whisper. "Okay."

As she stomped away, Dominic shrugged, "I would've watched over her."

"She shouldn't be put in unnecessary danger," Lee lectured softly, "even if there's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, I get that." He muttered.

With the two living room closets secure, that only left one room for Dominic and Lee to check. Strolling towards the front door of the house, they approached the last room. Dominic silently prepared himself as Lee reached out and opened the door, a broom falling down straight towards him.

"JESUS!" Lee gasped before turning on his giggling friend, "Damn it, Dom. You knew that was goin' to happen, didn't you?"

"OH MY GOD!" More fits of laughter escaped the boy's lips as he gasped for air, "THAT'S EVEN FUNNIER IN PERSON!"

Lee scoffed and play punched Dominic in the arm, who fake-rubbed it gingerly. "Asshole," Lee muttered.

Dominic calmed down almost instantly as Lee's eyes bore into him. "Sorry, couldn't help myself." The younger boy mused.

After a few intense seconds of staring had passed, Dominic rubbed his shoulder awkwardly. Lee sighed and whispered to him, "Listen, we need to talk, about the radio."

"Yes, I knew about the Stranger," Dominic deadpanned, his voice lowering so it wouldn't carry into the living room.

"And you just let her _talk to him_?" Lee accused, his eyes narrowed as he pointed a finger at the boy.

"I told her not to," Dominic shrugged, "But you know how kids can be, especially when someone says they'll help them find their parents."

"Did you not think of just **taking** the radio away from her? Or the batteries?" His voice melted into venomous poison as it seeped into Dominic.

"Honestly Lee, no. I didn't. I regret not telling her the full truth about the Stranger, but I don't think she'd _want_ to hear it, neither do you. This is the reason why I didn't want to enter the city in the first place. I told her he was lying to her and he'd only be a danger to the group; I didn't want to become the 'villain' by taking her batteries." Dominic sighed, holding his head. "I fucked up, I know. I've had a string of fuck ups recently, starting all the way back at the farm." Dominic frown perked up into a sly smirk when his next question formed in his mind, "What about you? Why didn't you tell me about the radio, anyway? Or how we're going after Clem's parents?"

"I assumed you knew about it anyway," Lee deadpanned before registering the boy's second question, "Wait... how the hell did you know about that?" His tone switched gears from lecturing to interrogations as this question filled his head.

"Carley."

"Ah," was all Lee could mutter in response. "Are you going to complain to me now about how we should've stayed out of Savannah, or how we should've sent the train back in reverse to lure away that herd?"

"Nope," Dominic replied simply, "You've already made your decisions clear."

Lee sighed for what felt like the millionth time as another pin struck his heart. Recently, it seemed like him and Dominic weren't seeing eye-to-eye anymore. The boy always wanted to do the opposite of what he knew they had to do, and when Lee refused, Dominic seemed to pout (or fall apart, Lee didn't really know which.) He could hardly remember the times when Dominic was always on his side, months ago. Now, all they could ever talk about was what they should've done differently, or everything the boy was hiding. It was all starting to strain Lee's nerves.

They soon returned to the cozy living room, plopping down on the couches as their feet ached with pain. "Well," Lee started when Christa approached them, "the place ain't got much. We should be okay here for a while, at least until it quiets down outside, or a wild broom attacks us." He gave Dominic an annoyed glance before looking back at Christa.

Christa eyebrow raised slightly before nodding in response. She turned back to her injured boyfriend. "Good, thanks." She answered slowly, noticeably surprised by the input.

"Is he okay?" Lee inquired, changing the subject.

"He seems to be doing better," Christa muttered as she examined the bandages wrapped around Omid's leg closely, "He's lucky he didn't trip and fall when we were running away from the walkers. If he had, well, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

When no one replied to her comment, she changed the subject. "I was just asking Clementine if she knows who the man on her radio is." Her tone softened when Clementine's eyes fell to the floor in shame. "It's okay honey, you can tell us. Who is he? What does he want?" She kneeled down, hands on her knees, as she spoke to Clementine.

Lee and Dominic exchanged short glances before the older man kneeled in front of the sitting girl as well. "Go ahead, Clem. It's okay, you're not in any trouble."

"It's just a friend… I- I don't think he wants to hurt us." She stuttered, her eyes going back and forth between Christa and Lee. Dominic bit down on his tongue as she spoke, holding back any information that would give away his foresight to the newcomers.

"What has he been saying to you?" Christa asked, suspicion easing its way into her voice as she blurted out her next question, "What have you been saying to him?"

"I told him…. I was trying to find my parents, and that they were in Savannah… He seems nice; I think he just wants to help me find them." Her eyes darted in between Lee and Dominic, the latter glaring at her, a look of hurt in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay Clem," Dominic reassured her as he realized the look on his face was terrifying her. It wasn't meant to be scary, but obviously it had that effect. Chuck gazed at the group around him, before returning back to strumming on the guitar. Chuck knew there was a story behind Clementine and Dominic's exchange, but he decided to avoid the matter entirely.

"Them strangers is gonna say anything they can to distract you, kid." Chuck intervened, not taking his eyes off of his guitar.

"Okay…" Clementine whined, finding the fault in her ways.

Christa sighed as she continued her investigation. "Clementine honey, trust me, that's not what he wants. He-" Christa's sentence was cut off as Ben's voice carried down to them from the top of the stairs.

"Lee! Lee, you need to get up here now!"

"What's wrong?!" Lee called back as Dominic and him rushed into the foyer, their eyes locked on the teenager rushing down the stairs.

"It's Kenny…"

"I'll handle this," Dominic said softly before reaching out for the stairs, only turning around when Lee's hand grabbed his shoulder.

"No, you stay down here and try to get some more information out of Clementine, I'll deal with this."

"But-"

"I've got it, Dominic." He insisted, letting go of the boy's shoulder. Dominic watched as Lee followed Ben up the stairs before disappearing.

He let out a heavy sigh before returning to the living room, glancing down at Clementine's sitting form beside the couch. He exchanged hard glances with the newcomers before turning back to Clementine, whispering to her flatly, "Hey Clem, let's go check the kitchen for any hidden supplies."

"Okay…" She muttered before pulling herself out of her chair and following him into the kitchen, leaving Chuck to play for the couple. She may only be nine years old, but she wasn't stupid, the instant Dominic turned around to talk to her, she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"How much did you tell that man about me?" He questioned her, turning on his heels and looking in her eyes.

"Not much I-" She stammered, on the verge of tears.

"What did you tell him?" He asked in a hushed whisper.

"I- I- I told him what you told me, about how you know everything…"

Dominic sighed before rubbing his temple, "Clem, I told you not to talk to him, yet you did, behind my back. I even let you keep the radio. Now, it seems like I was just an idiot for doing so." He paced the kitchen as he thought about their next move. "Now, we've got a maniac out there thinking that I'm some kind of time traveler, and will change his plans to foil mine."

"Are you saying that he…"

"Yes, Clem," Dominic muttered as he leaned against the white counter behind him, "I'm saying that he might do something bad now that he knows about me. He's a monster, and won't stop for anything to get to **you**."

She gazed at her shoes and the stained tiles below before asking her next question. "But why?"

"Because he lost his family, and now he wants to make a new one, by taking you as his daughter. Except he's insane, and has his wife's walker head in a purse."

She noticeably shook at Dominic's words, "That's- that's so scary." She stared at the tiles below her as an unknown woman's head plopped in her mind, and gasped at the thought.

"I'm sorry, Clementine, but you need to know the truth. He's a danger to the entire group. If we don't get rid of him before he gets to you, everything's going to fall apart." He kneeled down in front of her and hugged her as she continued to shake, "I'm not going to let him get to you, or hurt you. But you need to know that if he does, Lee will end up-" He choked on his next words as a gunshot pierced the air from above. Lee had shot the reanimated child in the attic.

"What the hell was that?!" Christa shouted from the living room as everyone returned to the foyer to see Lee carrying down the carcass of a young boy, about the same age as Duck. He was paper thin; his bones visible underneath the grey skin, even his teeth broke through the thin film of skin in front of them. To Dominic, he looked a lot like images of people he'd seen in concentration camps during World War II. In fact, it was worse, haunting his very being. He reached out and grabbed the wall for support as he stared at the lifeless boy in Lee's arms. It was bad enough seeing the dead roam the streets, but worse to see them in such a state, not to mention the twinge of guilt burrowing its way through him as the carcass seemed to change from a strange child to Duck, and back to the child again.

No one said a word as Lee carried the boy out to the backyard. Dominic followed shortly behind, leaving Clementine at the door frame. For a brief moment, the two men shared a knowing nod before Lee carefully placed the boy into the grave they dug up earlier, right next to the young boy's dog. It seemed fitting to Dominic, man and man's best friend, lying side by side in a single grave. _How poetic._ Dominic thought to himself. _Josh would love this moment…_

As Lee grabbed the shovel and slowly buried the bodies underneath the layers of dirt, Dominic gazed around, pistol at the ready. If the Stranger was going to show up again, he would be ready for it. But the man never came. _Damn it, Clementine. I could've killed him if you didn't blabber about me._ He found himself thinking as Lee finished replacing the dirt in the grave.

After a brief moment of silence, Lee finally whispered to the boy next to him, "Come on, let's get inside before any walkers show up."

"He's supposed to be here, Lee…" Dominic whispered back as he stared out beyond the fence they had jumped over merely twenty minutes before. He glanced around every fence, every corner of the yard, and inside every window; nothing.

Lee stopped and stared at the boy, "What do you mean?"

"He was… supposed to be watching you…" Dominic visibly shook as he finally figured it all out, "He's changed his plans, Lee. Now that he knows about me, he's making sure I can't get to him. He knew that if he was there, I would've killed him."

"Wait, Clementine told him about you?" Lee asked, his mouth agape.

"And now, we're probably going to die," Dominic whispered.

They turned back to the door as Christa's voice carried to them. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, we're just discussing the plan for getting a boat," Lee lied, his voice calm as he patted the boy's back, whispering to him, "Mention this to no one."

Dominic nodded. "Got it." He holstered his pistol as he gripped his knife, continually eying the property.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at them. "Let's just get inside before-"

Her sentence stopped cold as Kenny stepped outside, holding himself up against the brick walls as he looked at Lee. His eyes were bloodshot, and cheeks soaked as he wiped his face and slumped against the bricks. Lee merely whispered, "Kenny?"

"I'm fine. Just… I'm fine. Sounds like things have cleared up on the road." He croaked, his lips steadily quivering. "We've stuck around here long enough, it's time to get back on track. Time to get down to the river and find ourselves a boat." Kenny muttered before pushing his way past Lee and Dominic, towards the gate.

"We shouldn't leave yet," Dominic insisted before running after Kenny.

"Come on Kenny," Lee added, following both of them, "We only checked the house to make sure it's secure, we didn't really toss the place. Just like Dominic mentioned earlier, we're low on food, water, meds, ammo…" His voice trailed off before he gave it one final try for reason's sake. "We should make sure there's nothing here we can use before we move out."

"You search it if you wanna," Kenny spat at Lee, before turning back towards the gate. "I'm **done** with this house. We came to this city to find a boat, and that's **just** what I'm gonna do."

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea to check the place one more-" Ben mumbled, appearing beside Lee, before Kenny cut him off.

" **I SAID I'M** _ **DONE**_ **WITH THIS HOUSE!** "

They all stared at him in silence as he caught his breath. Sighing, Lee finally spoke, "We can do both. Ben, you take one last look around the place, grab anything useful, while Kenny, Dominic, and I go down to the river and get us a boat." He eyed Kenny, waiting for another sudden outburst; all seemed peaceful, for once.

"Wait, can't I come?" Clementine's soft voice asked from beside him. "My mom and dad can't be far now, maybe we can look for them on the way to the river."

"Clem, honey…" Lee knelt down and hugged her before saying, "I think it'd be best if you stayed here with Ben. I need you to watch out for Omid and Christa, help them get ready to move out." His eyes pleaded with her, hoping she'd understand.

She frowned and pouted in response, "You said I'm always supposed to stay close to you…"

"I know, it's just this once," He turned to look back at Dominic, who nodded. "Sometimes we all have to put aside what we want for the good of the group. Hey, don't worry. We'll be back before you know it. Okay?"

"Okay," She whispered as her eyes fell to to the stone path below, cold and broken, just as his words felt.

"Daylight's burnin'. Gonna go grab my gear, then we'll head out," Kenny muttered before disappearing into the house, pushing past Carley, who had been listening beside the doorway, while Christa pulled Clementine to her.

"Come on Clem, let's go see if Omid needs anything. He'll need some new bandages soon."

They followed Kenny inside as Dominic and Lee followed shortly behind. They stopped as Ben muttered to them, "So, y'all are just gonna leave me on the bench here?"

"That's not how it is, Ben," Lee deadpanned, staring at the boy, "I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Clementine."

"Don't let her out of your sight," Dominic added, "She's pretty good at sneaking away."

Ben nodded and whispered, "I can do that…" Dominic wasn't sure if he was talking to them or himself.

"Well, just so we're clear," Lee continued staring at Ben, as if testing the boy's resolve. "While we're gone, anything or anyone tries to get inside this house, you shoot 'em. Don't even think twice about it. Understand?" He stared at the kid, trying to get it through his head.

"I got no problem shooting walkers." Ben replied confidently, grasping his pistol in defense.

"Did you hear what I said? Anything or _anyone_." Ben merely nodded in response, his eyes widening at the thought.

"Yeah. Good," was all that Lee said.

As the younger teenager turned around and headed inside, Dominic and Lee idled outside, alone. "Shit's about to hit the fan, Lee." Dominic whispered.

Lee sighed before turning back toward the gate, staring up at the church that now blocked the skyline. "I know."


	12. The Shadow of Crawford

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 12: The Shadow of Crawford**

The sun hung stealthily overhead, disguised by the numerous clouds surrounding the blazing ball of fire. Savannah lay in a grey haze, all of the buildings swarmed with dead windows, and tinted bricks. The streets lay, as always, barren and dry. She clutched the axe tightly between her fingers as she gazed at her final conquest. Her last sweep through the west side of the city proved fruitless, finding only two cans of beans and a useless sea of dust. Savannah was running dry, and soon enough she'd have to leave the city behind and find fresh loot in the countryside.

Despite all of the hiking and mountain-climbing trips she used to do before the apocalypse, she didn't want to leave her hometown behind. It was strange, even for a loner like herself, to be so attached to a single city after all of the shit that's happened; but her life was here. This was the city where she was born, where she had a family. From that day her father gave her the axe to the day Crawford took her sister from her.

Yet, at the same time, she was just as ready to jet out of this city, it was Hell on Earth. Everywhere you turned, geeks roamed and crowded the dead streets. She wasn't even sure if anyone else was alive out there; death was the only thing living now. A chill rushed down her body like a cold sickness, as these were the hands she used to sustain her sister's life. The memories flooded her mind as the white, cold walls surrounded her again, the man she despised with all her heart filling her vision.

" _Listen, as fun as this was, I have to put a stop to this little arrangement. This is the last I can give you."_

" _Why?!"_

" _Oberson had someone down here yesterday taking inventory, he's really cracking down. I just can't risk it."_

" _We had a deal!"_

" _Yes, we_ _ **HAD**_ _a deal. We don't anymore."_

" _My sister_ _ **needs**_ _this medicine! Without it, she'll die! Or she'll start showing symptoms and they'll take her away! I can't let that happen."_

" _I'm sorry, Molly. I've done all I can, but I have to look out for myself here."_

" _Yeah… that's the Crawford way, isn't it?"_

She zipped her orange hoodie up further as the November wind chilled the air, pushing the agonizing memory away as she covered her face with a white surgical mask. She looked out over the rooftop, gazing over the seamless stream of abandoned cars flowing down the dead street edges. She hovered, motionless as she skimmed the streetlights that burned no more, each standing like an ended life; starting with a flash, only to end in a cold, cruel instant, like the burnt out wick of a candle. _That prick could still be out there, in Crawford._ She couldn't let them find her. _No._ Not after what she did. The gap between the apartment building she stood on and the neighboring church seemed to only grow further apart the closer she came to the edge, each step only showing more of the leap's true potential, rising until abruptly, nothing. She gasped while she stared down below, a dark cave where the geeks roamed aimlessly, searching for their next meal; whether that meal would be her or someone else, that was for her to decide.

She let out a puff of air before sizing up the jump, her beloved ice-pick still clutched in her hand. "Piece of cake," she muttered as she took several steps back, "Alright, Molly" she breathed, "Go!"

Without a countdown, she sprinted towards the edge as fast as her legs would carry her, pushing off the ground as the world spun around her, replaced by the sheer ecstasy of being suspended in the air. As soon as the joyful rush of adrenaline had filled her veins, immense fear pulsed like a heart-stopping injection. Hilda in hand, she raised her wench, watching in horror as the edge flew by, her eyes popping as a dark wall of bricks came rushing into full view. Her eyes squinted as she accepted her fate, axe held high. As she closed her eyes for the last time, her ice-pick scraped against the roof of the church, screeching the beloved ring until giving a thunderous click, simultaneously latching onto the edge, sending her freefall in midair to a breath-stealing halt as she saw herself barely hanging on. She gripped her axe tighter as she took in the view; 300 feet in the air, a dead city enveloping her; this is exactly how heaven must be. _If only Hilda was here._ Shaking her head, she swung her body perpendicular to the edge, bringing her right arm over her head to grip the concrete rooftop, pulling herself up. She crawled away from the edge before catching her breath, sending an exasperated "fuck" to the ledge as the image of Hilda missing the mark, sending her plunging into the geeks below, played in her mind. She watched the deserted windows zoom by in rapid succession, glancing only to see a dark cavern of gravel and geeks only to….. Nothing. She made it, barely.

She pushed down on the savior axe to stabilize herself as she got to her feet, scanning the rooftop for the large bell tower that stood above the city like a vulture scanning for its prey, only to send it's shrieking roar, embellishing fear among those lost in the streets below. Barely thirty minutes ago, she had done the same exact thing, which led to her first failed sweep of the day. She looked above the tower, holding her free hand above her eyes to catch a glimpse of the sun's obscured position; standing in limbo between the east and west, right above her head beneath an array of clouds, giving a faint warmth to the dead city below, but too concealed to fire its burning wrath to those like her outdoors. Judging by her calculations, it was probably past noon now, so she had to pick up the pace if she was to finish by nightfall.

She pressed her open palm against the bricks, embracing the cold, rough terrain scratching the tip of her skin. She gazed up at her opponent: leaping edge, climbing, leaping another edge. Every step was routine; every leap, another victory. Without thinking, she pounced, throwing her right hook into the air and giving the gravel a satisfying crunch and screech. She pulled herself up, pressing her feet into the walls as she tugged on the axe, hoisting herself onto the ledge. She jumped, latched, and hoisted; again and again, until she reached the last jump. Like the many times before, she leaped (scratched, latched, and hoisted) and pulled herself up until she was standing on the precipice, the bell tower towering over the city directly to her left. The wind had picked up here, this high above sea level, brushing her chopped blonde hair above her eyes. There were easier ways to reach the tower, but this was certainly the most fun, and that's what really mattered to Molly. If anyone asked her why would she do insane shit like this, she would immediately admit that she was an adrenaline-junkie. There's no other way to describe it; the feeling of being on the tightrope between life and death, one action deciding her fate, it was exhilerating.

Gripping Hilda, she reached behind and securely slid the axe into its laced sheath on her backpack. She felt her weight shift slightly, only returning to equilibrium a moment after. Extending her arms, she crossed the gabled roof, only taking minute glances at the pesty geeks below. When she reached the bell tower, she grabbed the last ledge and climbed up and over the wooden fence surrounding it, using the stripped poles as leverage to sweep herself inside the church walls, and beside the glorious bell.

Once inside, the deep, darkened drone sounds (or lack thereof) of life escaped her, and was replaced by the non-adrenaline inducing silence of claustrophobia. She stared at her prize, admiring the almost perfect cone of metal before her. She traced her fingers over the aged cracks, drifting them over the tips of the bell just inside the metal wall of invincibility. Escaping her gaze, she looked directly to her left, finding the lever almost immediately. Without a second thought, she yanked the metal bar several times, signaling the deafening bells to awaken the sleeping city once more. With her job done, she swished back over the wooden fence, and hopped back down a few layers of gravel, only to make a less risky leap of faith onto a parallel rooftop. Without looking back, she sprinted across and jumped back onto the apartment she started from. Her new target was the riverfront; she knew the boats there were all trashed, and left for decay, but who knew what else might remain?

 _When the outbreak started, while the pile of bodies were being mounted, she looked out of the corner of her eyes as her sister and her were being hustled behind the walls, hundreds of people gathered around the riverfront. Only so many survived long enough to grasp the smallest of sails, and not without a serious consequence. As she kept a firm grasp onto her sister as the guard was about to shut the doors, she saw a small child on the riverfront, trying to stay close to her father. With all of the commotion and fighting for the boats and their own lives, the little girl's father finally grasped a boat, and hopped aboard before abandoning her own daughter to the insane crowd. In horror, Molly watched as she cried out for her father to return, before being knocked into the river, unable to swim._

" _Let's go…"_ _A familiar voice dragged her back to the current situation as she squeezed her sister's hand. She stepped past the barrier, the smell of the dead filling her nostrils instantly fading as the living sealed themselves off from the dead._

" _ **HURRY!**_ _" A man on a loudspeaker shouted over the chaos. Molly turned just in time to witness a horde of undead filling the intersection behind her, devouring anyone left at the riverfront. People were torn away from their one hope of escape, some taking it down with them as they were eaten alive._

" _Molly, come on! We need to go…!" An angelic voice tore her away from the scene. She clung to her fourteen year old sister with her life, shoving past the insane pack of people that fought her, and her safety._

" _Damn geeks." Someone in the crowd shouted ahead, someone with a police uniform guiding her to a nearby housing facility._

" _ **WATCH IT!**_ _" Molly cursed as the person behind her, an older man no more than forty with a beer and balding hair, pushed her from the back, shoving her and Hilda into the people in front of them._

" _Molly, where is Daddy going?" Hilda whimpered, gripping her sister's hand as she tip-toed along, staring dead eyed at the back of her father's head, chasing after him and dragging Molly forward._

" _Take my hand H," Molly hushed her sister, pulling her along as she tried to stay close to their father._

" _Molly, Hilda, look at me." They gazed up at their father as he pushed through the crowd, "We're gonna be fine, okay? We're gonna be fine!" He shouted as he moved through the crowd, trying to make an opening for his children._

" _ **THAT'S ENOUGH!**_ _" A voice shouted from behind the crowd. Everyone stopped, nobody moved._ _They all turned as the eerie creaking of the gate latched itself, and the final bodies were piled on top of the barricade. Molly stood on her heels, watching as the crowd of people behind her slowly became a barricade to herself, only getting a small glimpse of the other side. She watched as a woman rushed through the street in the other direction, directly into the clutches of another walker. She screamed as the walker clawed at her arm, blood seeping out of the fresh wound. The woman screamed as the walker tore at the wound like gift from the Heavens.._

" _No, please Ed, stop!" she screamed, pushing against the undead's face; her final mistake. The walker roared before biting the woman's neck, ripping out her vocal cords. Her screams were subsided as nothing but wet, gurgling noise erupted from her throat, dark, heavy crimson flowing down the woman's shirt. Her body went limp as it collapsed to the ground, motionless. The walker kneeled down, continuing to feast on the flesh, forcing Molly to look away in horror._

" _Molly let's-" Hilda whimpered, pulling Molly closer, but her sister's voice was merely a whisper in the storm, drowned out in the sea of noise clouding her brain. Her eyes went back to the horrific scene, vomit rising in her chest as the walker pulled out the woman's entrails chewing on the organs and tossing flesh covered bones to the cement. Before she could even blink, the scene disappeared completely. The walls have fallen down; the barricade was finished._

" _ **Hello everyone, my name is Crawford Oberson. Some of you may know me for my various and extraordinary achievements, others may know me simply as 'neighbor', or 'friend'. But today, I am your mayor. From now on, we will stand as ONE community. Who we used to be no longer matters! Outside those walls lies death, but inside them, we will find salvation!**_ _" A voice shouted over the crowd. Molly turned to see another man, maybe the same man, with a megaphone standing on top of a car. "_ _ **Welcome to Crawford, ladies and gentlemen. Now, before we get started-**_ _"_

 _Gunshots flew through the crowd, as the flame was ignited, chaos ensued. Molly gripped her sister's hand as she pushed forward, clasping at her dad's shirt._

" _ **DAD HURRY, WE HAVE TO GO!**_ _" Molly shouted. She stopped, dead in her tracks, the noise and chaos around her fell into a silent, distant abyss as her blood ran cold, fear and adrenaline replacing the sweet fluid in her veins as she pulled her sister into her arms, shielding her face from what lay before them. Their father fell to the ground, motionless, blood seeping out of the back of his head._

" _ **DAD!**_ _" Hilda screeched, finally fighting Molly off of her. She crawled to him and patted his arm as if suddenly expecting him to flash his signature smile at her again. "Dad, please… no! You can't be dead! You can't be!"_

" _ **USE OF WEAPONS IN CRAWFORD WILL BE STRICTLY REGULATED. GUARDS, ARREST THEM!**_ _" Oberson shouted, his elite guard marching into action._

 _Molly's knees went numb, sending her onto the cold asphalt, her cheeks meeting the warm fluid on the gravel. She sat up, her vision blurry at the horrific sight of her father. She looked in his hands to see the climbing axe, glistening on the pavement. She reached out, a shockwave pulsing through her palms as she removed the handle from his still warm hand, limp to her shaking fingers._

" _I love you, dad." She whispered as she stood up, embracing her sister as a guard directed them to the high school. She struggled to breathe as the guard's hand gripped her wrist, pulling her forward like a dog on a leash._

" _Daddy…" A tearful moan echoed through her skull as her vision went to a blur, and warm, soft tears streaked her face._

" _Get a move on, missy," The guard growled as he shoved Hilda and Molly forward, sending them face-first into the wave of survivors headed for the same building. The pushing pursued, and the fighting remained._

" _ **DAD!**_ _" Molly shouted one more time. She knew he was gone, along with her innocence and her sanity, but she couldn't leave him, not there, in the crowd of demons. She turned and bit the guards wrists, kicking him in the leg before elbowing him with her free hand. She ran, only seeing the body laying on the ground. Something grabbed her, pulling her onward towards the high school. She turned, ready to strike, only to be met with a warm, painful slap._

" _Enough,_ _ **BITCH**_ _." The man shouted, dragging her into the building. She glanced, one last time, to see another guard grasping the body, carrying it toward the barricade._

" _Molly…" Hilda's cracked voice called out from behind her, only solidifying their dire situation._

" _Listen to me, H," Molly grabbed her as they were pulled out of the sea of chaos, "I swear to any God that might exist in this fucked up world, I'm going to protect you, do you understand? We're all we got, sis. Sisters stick together, and have each others' backs." She swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared into her little sister's face, tears pouring down their cheeks. "Dad's dead. We can't go back for him. We've gotta move on if we're gonna survive." She embraced her sister once more, tightening her grip as if hanging on to her soul, permanently planting it beside her, for her to protect, forever._

She shook her head, a tear dripping down her face as the memory filed back into her subconscious; where it slept a painful slumber, ready to wake her at night. She would sleep, the scene playing again and again like a haunted record player; striking the same, dreadful tune. She would wake up, petrified; scared to close her eyes, knowing her father's cold corpse lay behind her eyelashes, or only the crimson color surrounding the woman's body. As the nightmares drifted away, depression welcomed her painful embrace. Molly would cry, as she lay awake, her sister's voice crying out in the darkness, or memories of her dad's smile would paint itself along every God-forsaken wall in the room she lay trapped in; welcome to Hell.

 _God, I miss you both so fucking much._

She glanced around the rooftop, escaping the trance she was in. As she approached the edge of the roof, she gazed down at the lonesome barricade again. The bodies stacked in awkward positions, the bones piercing through the broken skin, unbalancing body parts, and releasing the horrible odor associated with rotten flesh. This was the closest she's been to Crawford in weeks, and the sight of the dead barricade still disgusted her. Her father, sister, and all her friends: gone. Everyone she knew in Crawford were now laid to rest on the barricade, every memory now another fold on the growing mound. As she inched closer to the edge, the wall became more visible; instead of a wall, establishing the territory between Crawford and Savannah, it now lay as a pile of bodies, the wasteland for any non-survivors. If she needed any proof of how inhuman Crawford had become, this was it. She tightened the grip on Hilda, anguish flowing through her veins. Molly closed her eyes as she imagined the devils that ruled here, each one of their blood staining Hilda, sweet revenge served on her bloody platter. Yet, in her heart, she knew this day would never come; there was no way in hell she was going back in there. Instead, she grasped the axe as she stepped onto the edge, turning herself around as she prepared for her final leap of faith. Using the axe as a stronghold, she lept down, clinging to the wall like a spider of death before her feet found the ground.

The street stood abandoned, with dust trailing the wind. Above, grey clouds swarmed, threatening for a thunderstorm. The buildings matched in perfect sync with the theme; structures built with grey, rotting wood, odd and eerie. She dashed across the street, tearing past the riverfront, dotted with dead trees and extinguished light poles; both rotten and dead. She hurried into a small kiosk; the shelves were covered in webs, and the red and white paint that hung above as a mini-shelter peeling down onto the sidewalk. She stood, sifting through books and other useless junk as voices on the horizon drifted toward her. She listened, slowly identifying three different voices, their muttering very distinct. One sounded very low, and rough; an older man. The second voice sounded lighter, like a younger man. The third voice had a southern accent, each drawl piercing her ear like stinging bees.

" _Fucking great."_ She muttered to herself as footsteps echoed into the silent street, headed in her direction. She knelt down behind the kiosk, rummaging a random cabinet as she listened to the footsteps inching closer and closer. Several brief seconds passed as she grasped Hilda and pressed her axe close to her chest. The voices suddenly got lower, as if they were whispering. Footsteps echoed all around her, every sound sounded like thunder, ready for the lightning to strike her heart. She exhaled, her decision to strike racing through her skull as the wood on the other side of her back creaked, signaling whoever was stalking her was stupid enough to lean against the kiosk desk, allowing her enough time to slip out, and strike.

She jumped over the kiosk, a creaking sensation piercing the air as she confronted her opponent. The man wore a torn black hoodie and jeans, with short, messy brown hair and a thin beard with a pair of black glasses resting on the rim of his large nose. He didn't even have a weapon out. _Fucking idiot._ As the man turned around to face her, she raised Hilda and kicked him in the gut, knocking him to the ground. A pained grunt reached her ears as the stranger grasped his stomach and stared back up at her before yelling out "Stop! I'm friendly!"

"Yeah, that's what they all say!" She growled as she pushed Hilda against his neck.

"Hey! Let go of him!" Another voice rang out. She swung Hilda through the air, using the hook to trip this new threat to the ground, the cringing sound of skin and bone connecting with stone resounding through the air.

As she regained her balance from taking out this new threat, an older African-American man, the hooded stranger bounced back onto his feet and grasped her by the arm. He ripped Hilda out of her clutch and threw it into the road, using his leg to trip and knock her to the ground. Using her hand as leverage, she avoided a skull to stone concussion. As she fell to the earth, she maintained balance with her foot, pouncing back up into a fighting position and punching him in the gut, the air audibly escaping the man's lungs. Quickly recovering from her blow, he quickly pinned her down with his knees against her lungs, holding her arms away from her body, metaphorically disarming her. They panted heavily, each catching their breath as they stared at each other, the tension in the air rising with every passing second. The younger man stared at her, seizing the right amount of air before merely grunting out in sarcastic greeting, "So… come here often?"

"Shut up," she growled back.

They continued to stare at each other as a tiny voice yelped from behind them. "Dominic!" This one sounded different; a fourth voice. A shrill, high pitch echo off the walls. _Is that a kid…?_

"Clem, we told you to stay with Ben!" The younger man pinning her down shouted back. She took advantage of the moment and freed her legs before swiftly kicking 'Dominic' in the balls in rapid succession. He yelped in pain as she grasped her ice pick and reversed their position, axe at the ready and one stranger down, seconds from death.

"No!" The voice shouted again, immensely closer. "Don't hurt him!"

Something about that voice made her forget about the younger man under her scythe, blood seconds away from pouring down his neck. An image of Hilda on that horrific day raced to her conscience as she turned around to look at the little girl now standing in front of her and Dominic. She couldn't of been older than eight or nine, wearing a red hoodie with 'Brooklyn' stenciled in a white font on it, the material obviously worn with age, with little patches missing on the word. A cap covered her black hair, two tiny chopped ponytails sticking out on each side of her head, tiny bits of dirt and debris sticking to individual strands. _This idiot has a kid with him. That means that he…_

"You're not from Crawford…" The words escaped her mouth as she stared down at the boy she had pinned to the concrete.

"No, I'm not. Can you please let go of me now?" Dominic gasped out in pain, clutching his private areas as if she would strike them again, a look of fear etched into his eyes. She slowly retreated, her axe poised for any potential strike. The African-American's gun was raised from where he sat on his butt, staring directly at her forehead. They calmly lowered their weapons, taking a step back (or scoot back, in this man's case) from each other as they watched the other cautiously. She lowered Hilda as the African-American placed his pistol back into its holster. Dominic crawled back against the kiosk before pulling himself up, regaining his balance as pain shot through his private areas, forcing him to clutch the wooden plank for support. They all stared, the tension in the air slowly dying away.

She removed her hood, revealing her short blonde hair, and pulled off the surgical mask, a look of disdain etched across her face. These strangers attacked _her_ , but they weren't from Crawford, so hiding her identity didn't really matter anymore. Everything went quiet, the air sending a cool breeze over them as they stood, a three-way tie, until more footsteps echoed behind her. _No way these pricks are smart enough to ambush me._

" **NO KENNY, DON'T!** " The older man's voice rang out as Molly whirled around and swept another man off his feet. As the man hit the ground, his gun resounded with a loud **BANG** , sending a shockwave into the dead city. Molly kicked the gun away before the man could reach it, raising her axe to kill the idiot in one swift blow.

" **NO! HE'S WITH US!** " Dominic shouted to Molly, her debilitating kick still forcing light squeaks from him as he grabbed her arm again.

"Let go of me!" She snapped at him as he backed away, releasing her. She gazed around, waiting for the inevitable geek to stumble around the corner, yet it didn't come. When everything remained quiet, she spoke up. "Who the hell are you people?" Her heart pounded in her chest as she awaited another attacker, simultaneously watching all of these men as she looked for a way to run. _These fuckin' pricks got another thing coming if they think they can corner me so easily._

"Everyone just calm down!" the African-American man insisted, his eyes going in between the furious redneck and the younger man, inevitably resting on the blonde assassin.

"I'll calm down once she tells me who the fuck she is!" The redneck spat as Dominic shot venom back at him just as loudly, two very distinct accents playing in par: southern, and northern.

"Maybe you should ask her that instead of fucking sticking a gun in her face, Kenny! Some fucking plan that was!"

She glared at the redneck, "Back off, asshole. The name's Molly."

"Molly, I'm Lee," the older man stated in a calmer tone, pointing out each newcomer to the woman. "This is Kenny, Clementine, and Dominic. We're not looking for any trouble."

Clementine smiled and waved at the newcomer as she let out a happy greeting of "Hi." Molly gazed at her briefly before returning her attention to Lee and Dominic.

"You guys really aren't from Crawford, are you?" She concluded.

"I don't even know what that is," Lee muttered.

"Everything beyond that barricade," she pointed back towards the pile of dead bodies blocking the street behind them. Lee and Dominic exchanged several glances, as if conveying some telepathic message, before turning back to her.

"What the hell happened here?" Lee asked, his voice exasperated.

"You sure you wanna know?" Molly shot back, her eyes changing from annoyance to sadness. Lee simply nodded. "When everything started going to shit, some people got together and sealed off that whole neighborhood. Folks willing to do anything to stay alive, and stop the dead from getting in. I try to avoid 'em."

"Why?" Kenny asked, genuinely curious.

She glared at him before muttering, "Let's just say they have a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who won't, or can't, live by their rules."

"So how'd you know we weren't them?" Kenny added.

"Because there are no children in Crawford… not anymore."

This news shifted the air, tension breaking through everyone in different directions. Lee's eyes went wide as shock ran through his spine. Dominic gazed at the barricade, his eyes unwavering, as if this news didn't impede him at all. Kenny looked just as shocked as Lee, while Clementine merely stared at them all in confusion.

"What do you mean, no children? Why not?" Lee gasped, his voice merely a whisper.

"They killed them all," Dominic muttered, the truth already dawning on the man.

"No children, no elderly, no one with an advanced medical condition… basically no one who might be a burden on the community. Crawford's all about the survival of the fittest. That's how **they** survived, while the rest of the world went to shit around them." Molly muttered, glancing once more at the hellish barricade, the smell suddenly reaching them.

Kenny gasped in shock. "Jesus Christ…"

"Well, just the opposite, when you think about it." Molly whispered.

"People like that don't deserve to live," Dominic seethed as he stared up at the human barricade, "I'm sure not all of these were walkers when they put them there."

"Probably not," Molly whispered, images of her father and sister searing her brain; the blood surrounding them making her skin run cold. She gazed at the younger man next to her, eying him as he stared at the barricade, his face unmoving. He couldn't have been older than nineteen or twenty, probably a year younger than her. Something about him didn't fit right, like a puzzle piece being squeezed into the wrong puzzle altogether. He gazed around, unmoved by the society he lived in; a lonely outsider, who's seen this all before. He moved, each step unwavering, as if he wasn't afraid of what might come next, whether it be a bullet, or an axe, or something completely unseen. Fear didn't rest behind his eyes, or on his face. Utter defiance filled the empty gap left behind instead; he was refusing to believe _something._ She stared at the teenager, noticing his words pierced the world, cutting the edge off of every shitty action someone has left him, replacing it with whatever the fuck he wanted it to be. She admired that about him, not giving into this shitty world they now lived in.

"But still… children? Jesus." Lee gasped from the opposite side, forcing Molly out of her thoughts.

"Why? Why slaughter children?" Kenny whispered, laying his face in his hands..

Molly shrugged, her eyes scanning the barricade as she spoke, "No one stays in Crawford unless they can pull their own weight. Otherwise you're just another mouth to feed, another drain on their precious resources."

"What does that mean, pull their own weight?" Clementine asked aloud, her eyes darting between Dominic and Lee for an answer.

"It just means being able to help out," Lee stated, patting the little girl's shoulder, a smile etching on his face. "Like you do all the time."

Kenny sighed, "Doesn't sound like any kinda way to live to me."

"Couldn't agree more," Molly muttered, staring towards the ground as her sister's face floated through her mind.

Lee shot a look in her direction, his eyebrows raising with curiosity. "How do you know all of this?"

"Everyone in Savannah knew," she lied, her eyes glancing between her onlookers. "What was going on inside Crawford got passed around like a ghost story, except this one was true." She held her breath, waiting as the fib seeped into their mind.

Her onlookers glanced between each other, as if each had a telepathic connection to decide if she was telling the truth. After what seemed like eternity, the group shrugged, accepting her lie as if it was the truth; _score_.

She scanned the crowd, each looking at her with a blank stare on their face, except Dominic. He stared at her, his face full of suspicion, only to settle into a position of sympathy, etching into his eyes. _God, this kid is freaking me out. He's gotta know something. Maybe he_ _ **is**_ _from Crawford?_

After a heavy silence, the group turned on their heels, walking back towards the kiosk. Lee gazed down at Clementine, curiosity burning in his throat. "Clem, what the hell are you doing here? How'd you get out of the house?"

Clementine stared up at Lee, her eyes tiny orbs softening as if praying for Lee's forgiveness. "Omid's bandages needed changing, so Christa, Carley, and Ben took him upstairs while Chuck went to find some bandages... I didn't just want to sit around there, I wanted to come help."

Lee sighed, rubbing his face with his hands as he scorned. "I told you we didn't _need_ any help."

"If it wasn't for her, your friend here would probably have an axe in his face," Molly retorted, looking in Dominic's direction.

"Says you," Dominic deadpanned.

"So," Lee interrupted, trying to diffuse the tension between the two, "It's been you ringing those bells all over town?"

"Yeah," she replied simply, looking in his direction.

"I knew it, Lee!" Kenny spat, his voice raising as he pointed at the young woman, his eyes suddenly fueled with rage. "I knew she was the one who's been following us, **fucking** with us!"

"Get that finger out of my face, grampa, before I jam it **straight** up your ass," she seethed, turning on the redneck and reaching for Hilda. As he lowered his hand, she continued, gently letting go of the axe handle. "I haven't been following you. I don't even know who the hell you people are!"

"Calm down, Kenny. The voice on the radio was a guy, remember?" Lee offered, hoping to diffuse the situation for the millionth time.

"Yeah, well," Kenny sputtered, trying to find the words. "Whoever you are, ringing those bells this morning nearly got us all killed, raised the dead all around us!" Kenny continued to rant to Molly.

"That's the idea, genius!" She spat back, anger shifting in her voice. "It's how I get around. I ring a bell in one neighborhood to attract the local geeks toward it, buys me some time to scavenge the areas they cleared out." She shuffled her feet, waiting for any moment when the redneck may lose it, and preparing to defend herself when the time came.

Kenny roared in laughter, the anger dying away for a moment. "Geeks? Is that what you call 'em?" He continued to laugh, nearly forgetting about how she almost killed them for nothing more than sneaking up on her moments ago.

"Yeah," she muttered, her voice lowering as her face noticeably grew warmer with embarrassment. "You know, like at the carnival? They'll eat anything, alive or dead."

"That's pretty smart with the bells," Lee complimented, neutralizing the conversation as the table tipped and turned, the hairs raising on his skin with each shift in the power struggle.

"Doesn't take much to outsmart the dead, or this guy," she pointed at Dominic, who merely grunted his acknowledgement before inwardly laughing at her comment. "They're a bunch of dumbasses. Just gotta move fast, get in and out before they start to wander back again." She stood tall, her ignorance showing before letting out a deep sigh, "Look, I'm gonna ask you people again: you're not from Crawford, so **who** the hell are you? What are you doing here?" She glared at the strangers before her, anger rising as they spoke the bullshit they told. _What the hell are these dumbasses planning?_

"Just trying to survive, same as you," Dominic shrugged before he pointed at Kenny. "He's looking for a boat."

"Don't think I haven't noticed you shittin' on my plan kid. It's the only way we're gonna survive!" Kenny growled, shifting his anguish to the younger man. "We're gettin' that boat and gettin' the hell out of here, whether **you** like it or **not**."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Molly muttered. "Anyone with a boat took it out of here as soon as people started eating each other. Any that got left behind, Crawford stripped 'em for parts, or they were destroyed in the chaos. Cars too."

Kenny shook his head in defiance, rejecting this piece of information. "There's gotta be somethin'."

"If there was, do you think **I'd** still be here?" Molly spat, shoving a finger to her chest. "I've been over **every inch** of this city, this whole place is picked clean."

Kenny kicked a piece of trash across the brick road before storming away, his temper reaching a boiling point. " **Goddamnit! Fuck!** "

" **Hey! Moron!** You wanna keep your voice down?!" Molly hissed to the redneck, her breaths uneven as her temper raised alongside his.

Kenny stared off into the ruined boats below before all the air in his lungs rushed out in defeat, common sense returning to him like an old friend, before whispering under his breath. "Shit."

"Since you're not getting on any boat, I'd advise you folks to go back to where you came from, before-" Her words stopped abruptly as the moans of geeks pierced the air, at least ten stumbling around the corner. She sighed. "Great, just great."

They all stared into the road, watching in fear as the walkers headed in their direction. Clementine grasped onto Lee, clinging to him for protection. The three men raised their pistols as the dead stumbled closer.

"Isn't that the-" Kenny mumbled, his eyes widening with every new walker coming into focus.

"...the way we came" Lee muttered, confirming how fucked they all were.

"Fuck! Gunshot must've brought 'em back," Kenny deadpanned, focusing his barrel on the first walker he saw. The walker limped down the street, already halfway to the kiosk. The groans grew louder, filling their ears with dread as the inevitable lay before them.

"Yeah, who's fault is that Kenny?" Dominic shot back, glancing at the redneck before returning his gaze at the horde before them.

Kenny's eyes narrowed as he glared at the boy, "You're **really** gettin' on my nerves, Dominic."

"Well maybe if you stop being an asshole-"

"Can you two please just kiss and make up so we can get the **fuck** out of here?!" Molly growled, already plotting her escape; a nearby alleyway catching her eye in the mist of panic.

They both glared at her as Clementine's voice cut through the tension. "Isn't there another way back to the house?" She looked around the busy street, as if a yellow brick road would appear to lead them to safety.

"Molly, is there-?" Lee started, turning back to look at the younger woman for answers, but she was already gone.

 _Fuck it, if these idiots want to just stand there: let them._ Molly's morbid thoughts ran wild as she tore away from the frozen spectators. She inhaled as she dashed through the street, turning off into an alleyway behind the dumbasses. _I'm not dying for a bunch of strangers._ She reached behind her, pulling out Hilda as she rushed at the brick wall, leaping into the air. Using the axe, she hooked onto a railing, pulling herself up into a fire escape. Behind her she heard distant shouts below, wafting in from the street she just escaped. "Hey! You're just going to leave us here?!"

"Sorry, I must've missed the part of our conversation where you become **my** problem!" Molly shouted back, preparing for another jump, higher than before.

"Come on! I thought what we had was special!" Dominic shouted, a tone of sarcasm dripping from the fake sadness in his voice.

"You're not really helping your case kid," Molly retorted as she turned away from the strangers to hop for the next fire escape, but stopped dead in her tracks as Clementine's voice screamed from below. "Don't leave us here! Please?!"

 _Damn it._ _Goddamnit Molly_. She looked down at the metal plank she stood on, Hilda's tiny voice echoing in her mind.

" _Don't leave me! Molly!"_

A tear threatened to break as she turned around, staring at the little girl with pigtails below. "Fine! Come on, make it fast!" She crouched down and reached out her hand as Kenny and Lee held the little girl up for her to grab. She caught her, pulling the girl up onto the metal plank beside her. The moans grew louder as the undead swarmed into the alleyway, leaving not much time left. She breathed, reaching out again and pulling Kenny up. With the clock slowly ticking, she returned for the sarcastic Dominic, who reached out for Lee.

"Come on!" He shouted to the man below.

"Lee, come on!" Clementine's tiny voice screeched alongside him.

Lee jumped, suspended in the air for a fraction of a second before his hand clutched Dominic's. The younger man gasped out in pain as he tried pulling Lee onto the platform. "God damn it, Lee. You're fucking heavy!" He winced in agony as he gripped the older man's hand tighter, attempting to lifting the man up. He screamed, pulling harder as gravity came into play. With every tug on the man, he only lowered, his fingers slipping with every jolt.

"Just pull!" Lee shouted, swinging his free arm to find a grappling point, but to no avail.

Dominic screamed again, his shoulder aching like a burning fire, a warm liquid seeping through his hoodie. He pulled, one last time, only missing, causing Lee to slip out of Dominic's fingers as the younger man grasped at his shoulder, blood dripping down his white undershirt.

"Fuck!" Dominic gasped, trying to ride out the immense pain as he reached for Lee again, but it was no use; he couldn't lift him. Kenny brushed past the injured man, reaching for his fallen comrade. Lee reached for his hand, but the walkers were closing in, and they were out of time.

" **Nooo! Lee!** " Clementine screamed, reaching her tiny fingers out in desperation.

"Lee, just run! Get the fuck out of there!" Dominic barked out, still clutching his oozing wound.

Molly watched as Lee stood, pondering his next move. He ran, pushing a dumpster out of his way, only to be met with more walkers stumbling toward him, blocking his only escape. He stood, glancing as walkers surrounded him on all sides. Their moans like a haunting invitation to Hell, piercing his ears with their mantra. The sudden smell of death invaded his nostrils, sending him into a sudden panic. There was nowhere left to go, except down.

"C'mon Lee, get your ass outta there!" Kenny shouted.

Lee looked at his feet, noticing a manhole in the pavement. He crouched down, trying to pull the cover with his bare hands. "Gah! Can't get it open!" He seethed.

"Here!" Molly threw down Hilda, the axe landing with a clank at his feet, "Use that to pry it open!"

He grabbed the axe and stuck it into the small crack between the cover and the side, sticking the sharp end into a hole in the grate and pulling the thing off the lid. He stood up, leaning away as rotten flesh filled his vision. They crawled, grabbing at his jeans, shirt, and arms. Without hesitation, he held his breath and jumped down into the manhole, grabbing onto the ladder as quickly as he could, disappearing from sight.

" **LEEEEE!** "Clementine screamed out for the man as Molly and Dominic pulled her away from the scene.

"He's going to be fine, Clem! Let's just get out of here!" Dominic snapped as he grabbed her hand, pulling her along as they climbed the staircase to the roof.

"We're fucked, we're fucking fucked," Kenny shouted into the air, running up the stairs. "We've got no fuckin' boat, and now we've lost Lee."

"He's fine Kenny!" Dominic shouted back, his eyes glaring at the older man before finding Molly's in front of him.

"You don't know that!" Kenny retorted, glaring at the kid.

"Well, I know a lot more than you do," he muttered under his breath.

"Will you two just shut the fuck up and tell me where we're going?" Molly growled, an awkward silence falling down in her wake as they reached the roof.

"Okay," Dominic mumbled as he walked towards the edge of the roof, "The house is this way."

* * *

 _Everything became a blur after her last conversation with Dr. Logan. She couldn't believe it; he ended the fucking deal! If she didn't get that medicine for her sister, she was going to start showing symptoms. It was only diabetes, but it was enough for Oberson to either kill Hilda, or banish them both. She couldn't take the risk, she wasn't going to let her sister die. An hour after her 'deal', she burst into their apartment, packing up their belongings before Hilda could even mutter a groggy greeting._

" _Molly?" Hilda mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she gazed up at her sister. "What…. are you doing?"_

" _Pack your things, we're leaving," Molly deadpanned, stuffing the black backpack in her small hands with clothes and food._

" _What's going on?" She yawned, sitting up from her spot on the couch._

" _We don't have time to discuss this," Molly snapped, her impatient eyes darting to her sleepy sister before immediately falling to the ground in guilt, "I'm sorry."_

 _Hilda gazed at her while she finished packing the backpack, "Did you get the medicine?"_

" _Yeah," Molly sighed, tossing the package to her sister, "This is the… last we're getting."_

" _What? Why?!" Her sister shot back, looking at the package as if it was now an insult._

" _Fucking bastard cut us off," Molly muttered. "Which is why we need to leave."_

" _We can't survive out there!" She deadpanned, glaring at her older sister._

" _You can't survive in_ _ **here**_ _!"_

 _They stared at each other, the situation weighing down on them as silence erupted in the tiny apartment. This was a no-win scenario: whatever they did, meant death. Molly, however, preferred to go down fighting than to succumb to Oberson's maniacal laws._

" _I'll… fine," Hilda mumbled as she finally forced herself off of the couch._

" _Just grab what you need, we can't carry everything," Molly lectured as she slipped on the backpack, turning to grasp her climbing axe that she had hanging on the wall above their fireplace._

" _I know,_ _ **mother**_ _," Hilda deadpanned before disappearing into her bedroom. She rushed to her dresser, pulling out clothes by bulk and shoving them into the backpack Molly gave her. As she reached for her last pair of jeans, her eyes darted to a frame on the tip of the drawer; a family portrait. Molly, dad, and herself, together, on one of their little climbing trips in Nepal._

" _God, I miss you so much, dad..." She whispered as she reached for the picture, before shoving it into the backpack._

" _You ready yet?" Molly shouted from the other room._

" _Almost ready!" She shouted back, rushing to her bedside table, grabbing the knife that sat on top. She flicked it, revealing the silver blade directed towards the ceiling, ready to fight for her life. She sighed, remaining calm as she folded it back down, placing it in her jeans._

" _Ready!" She pursed as she left her bedroom, meeting Molly by the front door of the apartment._

" _Follow me, don't speak unless I say so, got it?" Molly hissed, using Hilda's swift nod as signal to leave. She placed her hand gently on the knob, turning it silently as she peeked through a tiny slit, axe firmly in hand. Molly glanced around, nobody stood in the halls. All they had to do was slip out._

" _Come on." She hissed, walking into the hallway with her sister in tow. The apartment stood in the center of a busy street, their room on the second floor. The walls bore a brownish hue, with a metal railing guiding the stairs. They shifted down the railing, not making a single sound as they came to a fire exit. Raising her index finger to her lips, she opened the door._

 _A seemingly dead street lay before them, a ghastly mist hanging in the air. The trees stood, barren of leaves, and the ground abundant in rich, dried soil. The buildings stood tall, staring down at the civilians below with their evil glares; each with its own haunted theme of beautiful patterns and an overlay of death and abandonment. The streets themselves buzzed with busy souls, each with a perfect body, and a perfect mind. The street, instead, buzzed with the Crawford norms, each a conformist to the strict ways of their society._

 _The two girls did not meet this agenda. They huddled, close together as they blended in with the crowds of mindless puppets, all in fear of Big Brother. With her climbing axe at the ready, she judged each puppet for what it's worth: a drone or a guard. Nobody looked twice as they passed the high school, already halfway there. A few steps closer, the barricade came into view, the puppets of patrol watching every corner on the street._

" _Shit." Molly breathed, stopping where they stood._

" _Wha-" Hilda began, only to be shushed by her big sister. Molly stalked the crowd, huddling close to the street's buildings whenever possible, the gates getting closer with every step. As the sisters moved closer, the atmosphere began to darken. Puppets began to do double-takes as the buzzing turned into whispers, all questioning their reasons for existing. Molly's heart began to race as she hurried, reaching behind her to grasp her little sister's hand when the fatal words echoed behind her._

" _ **It's them!**_ _"_

 _Molly's eyes darted behind her to see Dr. Logan close behind, guards flanking his shoulders, guns at the ready. The sisters began a head-on sprint for the gates, more guards pouring out of the high school doors. The puppets fled the streets, the city soon turning for a red alert, after the two traitors._

" _ **They stole from us!**_ _" The whispers erupted from all around them, picking the ease out of the traitors, causing the scene to worsen as the two girls sprinted faster._

" _ **Stop! You are under arrest!**_ _" A shout came from behind them, causing their blood pressure to rise, their breaths now quick waves of panic as sweat poured down their bodies._

" _ **Stop, or you will be fired upon!**_ _" Oberson's voice suddenly erupted over the street, causing everything to go still as the girls stood beside the barricade. Moans whistled in their ears as they faced the soldiers, guns raised, lights blinding the two girls._

" _ **YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US ANYWAY, YOU FUCKERS!**_ _" Molly screamed, gripping her axe, ready to stand her ground. She slid in front of Hilda, pushing her up in one swift moment._

" _Give up the girl, Molly," Oberson shouted as he walked through the fog of flashlights, "and you'll be spared."_

" _Fat chance," Molly growled, clenching the axe tighter._

" _I'm trying to be civil here," He shot back, "give her to me, or you'll die with her."_

" _ **FUCK YOU!**_ _" The sisters shouted in sync._

 _The dictator merely scoffed, approaching them fearlessly before adding, "I always liked you Molly, you've got such spirit. Don't let_ _ **her**_ _bring you down."  
_

" _There's nothing wrong with me!" Hilda screamed, tears in her eyes as she took a step back towards the undead barricade. "What have I done wrong? I've lived an innocent life, while I watched_ _ **EVERYONE**_ _around me kill each other! Every day I watched people; the sick, the elderly, the diseased,_ _ **SLAIN**_ _. For_ _ **WHAT**_ _? For being_ _ **ALIVE**_ _? It wasn't mine or anyone's choice to be this way, but it's who we are, and we_ _ **ARE NOT**_ _inferior to_ _ **ANYONE**_ _, so why are we being_ _ **SLAUGHTERED LIKE ANIMALS?**_ _"_

" _ **BECAUSE YOU ARE A THREAT**_ _!" Oberson roared at the girl, "_ _ **BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WILL ONLY BRING US DOWN!**_ _"_

" _ **TO WHAT? RUIN? DAMNATION? YOU'VE ALREADY ACHIEVED THAT!**_ _" She screamed, before turning towards the barricade._

" _ **DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!**_ _" Oberson shouted to the two girls._

 _Molly let out a fierce roar, as Hilda released a cry of pain. They climbed, body after burned, destroyed body, the barricade seeming a tower of hope. This was their escape, a run for their lives. They climbed, stepping over the top before jumping, seeing more soldiers on the other side; they were surrounded. Tears streamed down Hilda's cheeks as she took out her knife, the blade shining in the lights of the soldiers. She turned, prepared to jump._

 _The shots fired. Bullets whizzed past their ears as they attempted to escape, until a blood-curdling scream pierced the air, a loud thud following soon after._

" _ **YOU BASTARDS!**_ _" Hilda wailed, looking at her right leg, blood gushing out of the bullet wound. She panted, her vision distorted as pain engulfed her body as she stood, grasping the silhouette of the tower before something grasped her by the hair._

 _Molly turned around, looking down as she saw her sister, a gun to her head._

" _Molly… Please! Don't leave me!" She screamed,._

 _Molly turned around, the soldiers now gone, only geeks ahead of her downward path. She jumped, landing swiftly on her feet before running, away from Crawford as fast as she could. She failed to catch her breath, only short bursts of wheezes going through her mouth as adrenaline pulsed through her veins, her mind frantic as panic grew in her body, itching for a way out,_ _ **anything**_ _._

" _ **DON'T LEAVE ME! MOLLY!**_ _" A shiver sent a shockwave up her spine as the scream erupted, causing her to stop, cold in her escape. She turned around, a lump in her throat choking her oxygen as she stared, starry-eyed._

 _Molly stood, staring at her sister, knelt down on her knees, with gashes on her lips, and eyes black as blood seeped from her mouth and nose. Guards surrounded her, some with cuts evident on their faces. Oberson stood behind her, his pistol pressed against her skull._

" _ **I warned you!**_ _" He shouted. The gun fired, blood staining his face and the surrounding guards. The body fell, limp, onto the pavement, a familiar knife stuck into the back of her spine. Oberson grabbed the body, as if it was a ragdoll, and chunked it onto the barricade. In one quick motion, he grabbed his lighter from his suit pocket and lit it, setting the little girl's body aflame._

 _Molly fell to her knees, frozen in agonizing suffering. "Oh my god, Hilda." She whispered, tears breaking free and running down her cheeks, dripping onto the axe in her hands._

" _Hilda… I'm- I'm so sorry…!" She wailed, looking up at Crawford, only seeing a flame, the destruction of her beautiful sister. The guards and Oberson were gone, having retreated back into the city. Her chest pounded, pain beating with every beat, her broken heart screamed out, louder than any gun could fire. She lay there, crying, every memory compressed into the drips of moisture escaping her body, every laugh muted to eternal silence with every splash, leaving her with nothing; leaving her alone._

" _ **They**_ _ **will fucking pay for this.**_ _"_


	13. The Calm Before the Storm

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 13: The Calm Before the Storm**

* * *

The house was abuzz with nursery commotion; Ben, Chuck, Kenny, and Christa assisting Omid and searching the house, while Carley and Clementine tended to Dominic. The upstair corridors hung with a tightrope of tension stretching the air thin, while downstairs, a tighter rope was wound. As Dominic had tried to hoist Lee up on the platform a mere fifteen minutes earlier, his gunshot wound flared, erupting a crowd of speculation; good, bad, and a bit nasty.

Clementine and Carley stood in the living room, glancing down at Dominic as he lie there on the couch, a bloody rag pressed against his shoulder and his legs resting on top of a similarly crimson cushion. Dominic held the rag firmly in place, the piercing pain from the gunshot resonating through his shoulder like a blade as more drops of blood flowed through his skin and onto the soft material, staining the edges as the cold repressed his tears. He pressed his head against the pillow as a furious Carley paced the floor beside him, the wooden floor pounding with every step she took, her thoughts erupting like firing waves as Clementine stood to the side, her complacent posture inferior as she stared at the ground, glancing up momentarily to sneak a glance at the two adults before her.

" **What the** _ **HELL**_ **were you thinking?!** " Carley's voice echoed in Dominic's head like a distant whisper, quiet yet scolding as he held the rag to his shoulder. Another wince forced its way on his face, pushing her words farther from his head. He stared, watching her mouth move in rapid succession, yet every word pressed his ears forward, only catching minor whispers as his shoulder flared, pushing him harder against the pillow.

His eyes rolled from his blood-soaked wound to the woman's overbearing eyes, deciding on an honest comeback. "I thought that I could get him out of there," he whispered, continually holding his arm in agony as needles rushed down his shoulder, and into his biceps, as if tearing into the lower flesh. "I didn't expect the wound to open."

He rustled with the needles, ignoring them as he pulled himself up into a sitting position on the couch. Carley rushed over and pushed him back down, causing him to scream as he glared back through teary eyes. "You're lucky you aren't bleeding out on a roof!" She reprimanded, snapping at him as she held the young man down while he continued to resist. "I want you to stay right here and rest."

He sighed, perusing the remainder of his limbs lying against the soft fabric before shifting into a more comfortable position, his right arm hanging loosely over the arm of the couch. "Okay, _jeez_." He muttered, staring back at her in defiance while she did another round of pacing.

"And don't even get me started on that girl y'all brought back with you!" She continued, running into a new rant, "Something about her just rubs me the wrong way; she's a _danger_ to the entire group." Her eyes widened, an image of the new bitch Dominic had the nerves to invite into their crew swirling through her mind. She inhaled a deep, long breath of air as she allowed her nerves to simmer, and finally cool, ready to move on to new, more discussable things than bitching.

"You're wrong," Dominic breathed, releasing the tension in his arm as his eyes flickering back up to her face, "She's exactly what this group needs now."

Her eyes narrowed as her voice lowered further, a devilish scowl appearing across her face. "You better be right, Dominic, for everyone's sake."

"What has she done to justify this?" Dominic shot back, glaring at Carley through clenched teeth. "We wouldn't have gotten out of there alive without her."

"I've seen her kind before; it _never_ ends well." Carley muttered, her arms wrapped around her chest. It was clear that she wasn't going to change her mind, not right now.

"I like Molly, she's nice" Clementine piped up, both participants of the argument turning towards her as she sat on the armrest of the couch, next to Dominic. She had been staring up at them as they argued, fear beaming in her pupils. Dominic and Carley looked away for a moment, out of embarrassment or tension, no one could tell. Her miniscule comment caused the tense rope hanging in the room to gain slack, allowing everyone to calm the conversation a bit.

Carley took a step towards the little girl, getting down on her knee as she explained. "No offense, honey," she mumbled to the little girl, taking Clementine's hand in hers, noticing the difference in hand texture. Clementine's hands were soft, minor ridges decorating her canvas as the tone set a view for pale bewilderment along her thin, gentle palms. Carley's, on the other hand, were darkened, with hard lines pressed between her fingers, cracks showing in different places on the tips, with scars interlaced beneath her palms; a past life telling her story within the dirt and cracks of her skin. "But not everyone is nice." She continued, "look at Lilly, the St. Johns, and that damned man out there stalking us." She glanced back at Dominic as she said the last part, a steady line piercing her lips between each word.

"Molly's different," Clementine defended, pushing herself to her feet, "she saved us!"

"Yeah, with my help," Dominic grunted, receiving angry glares from Carley.

"And look what that did to you!" She scowled, glaring at his wound, her eyes piercing it as if they were the bullet whizzing through his skin.

"C'mon Carley, I'm fine," Dominic muttered, another jab going through his shoulder as a fresh blot of crimson stained the cloth he held dear to the wound. He shrugged, glaring through the pain as he forced himself to focus on Carley, bright lights flashing as each spark of immense agony troubled him. _Ignore it, just focus._ _It's nothing._ In reality however, it _fucking hurt_ ; with every breath, inhaling and exhaling the much needed oxygen was a chore beyond measure, every movement of his body making him bite down on his lips, cursing the screams he wanted to release. Yet, if he was going to get Carley to calm down, he had to play the part. She continued to glare at him, the rope beginning to tighten again, until he finally changed the subject. "So, uh, how's Omid doing?"

She plopped onto the couch opposite them, her tone changing to something more friendly as her entire figure changed. "He's doing better, but he's going to _need_ some medicine soon, just to make sure it doesn't get infected. We'll need to tend to your wound too." Her eyes drifted to the bloody rag he had been holding, noticing the edges were dried, but the middle still seemed to be fresh.

"Easy enough," Dominic muttered. "I saw a hospital on the way to the river, might be some supplies there."

"No, that's too easy," Carley muttered, resting her head in her hands, brushing her fingers through her hair. "These 'Crawford' guys probably cleaned out the place by now."

"So that means we hit Crawford then." He replied in a deadpan.

She scoffed, looking at him as if he had gone mad. "You're kidding right? After hearing what Kenny said about that place, I don't want to go within a _mile_ of it."

He gazed around the living room, expecting to find someone else standing there in the doorframe, but gladly they were alone. "The people in Crawford are dead," he whispered, turning back to Carley and Clementine once he was sure no one else was listening.

"Dead?" Clementine echoed, her voice changing to a more fearful tone. "Like, walkers?"

"Yeah, they died a long time ago," Dominic hissed, "Some chick named Ana or something like that. Anyway, there's no one left there but walkers, and surely we can handle them if we're careful."

"How many walkers are we talking about?" Carley instantly asked, disbelief spilling out with every breath.

"Um, hmm… I don't know, a lot? Maybe around fifty to one hundred, maybe more?" He coaxed, wincing as his sarcasm created instant karma, backlashing into a painful jolt.

"That's insane," Carley growled, her tone seeping back into what they had just escaped from, the rope tugging again. "You want us to walk into **THAT**?!"

The tension erupted as Dominic tried to explain to them. "Well, it's the only place left with meds. And I know where to find us a boat too, but it needs an engine and some gas, both we can get from Crawford."

She shook her head, "No, that's insane. We can't risk everyone's lives like that; we can find meds somewhere else."

"There's **nowhere** else, Carley," Dominic seethed, "This is what we've got. Don't tell anyone about it, though. We're not ready yet."

"We? No, you're **not** going in there like that," Carley scolded, pointing a finger at him like he was a child.

The rope tightened for a final moment, before snapping, letting the fueling anger rain down upon its victims. " _ **I'm fucking fine alright?!**_ " Dominic shouted, his face suddenly flaring hot, his vision blurry as he attempted to calm his breathing. He lay there, watching them.

The room died into silence as both girls froze, staring at the man on the couch. Carley stood, wide-eyed, as she slowly turned towards Clementine, stepping in front of her. Clementine jumped up, grasping her leg as both girls reeled away from him. Dominic sighed, unmoved as he rubbed his forehead lightly and stared at the ground, noticing nothing more than a dark, fuzzed brown mash before him. Beside him, he heard a faint mutter from Clementine. " _Swear._ "

Dominic huffed, moving on from his outburst. "Listen, if we're going to get a boat working, we're going to **need** to hit Crawford. There's no way around it, except leaving the city altogether… and we both know Kenny won't stand for that."

Carley's eyes fell to the floor, returning to her natural composure, with a hint of depression in her eyes now that she saw how hopeless the situation has become. "Alright," she breathed, "we break into Crawford then… but you're still staying _here_ , Dominic. If that wound gets infected, you'll only be a liability in there."

"I know." He sighed. He saw himself, standing on the sidewalk in Crawford, surrounded by walkers as his wound sent him over the pain threshold. He stared off as the walkers overpowered him, biting off his flesh, sending him to the ground in screaming torture, _alone_. He shook this violent image away as he looked back at the girls, their composures more relaxed as they sat around in silence, leaving him to relax his head on the pillow once again, only wishing he could change his bloody rag.

Around the corner, Molly stood, leaning against the kitchen wall, clenching her fists as her eyes narrowed to tiny slits, Dominic's words settling in her stomach like a rock.

 _"The people in Crawford are dead."_

 _How the fuck do_ _ **you**_ _know that…_

* * *

"So, how's he doing?" Kenny offered once he strolled through the bedroom door, everyone staring off in silence as he walked in. Christa stood next to the bed, a depressed look placed upon her face as she held her boyfriend's hand. She stared at the improvised cast strung around Omid's leg, a dark red glob of dried mash clinging to the injured area. Chuck stood in the corner opposite the bed, picking at his guitar as he watched the scene unfolding before him, no comment made. Ben leaned against the dresser adjacent the bed, huffing in boredom as he stared blankly at the wall in front of him. For a split moment, Kenny thought he might be missing his folks, or his crew in school. Omid lay in the bed, pain etched across his face like the theme of a canvas in a painting. His fingers grazed his leg, tiny grunts of pain filling his vocals as he watched the others.

"I'm fine," Omid hissed, his tone half defensive as it was happy. He glanced down at his injured leg, shrugging. It hurt, of course, but he was feeling better. He looked back at the friends surrounding him. All he wanted to do was to get back out there and find this stranger on the radio instead of 'resting' like his girlfriend wanted. "Did you guys find a boat out there?" He asked, looking back at Kenny.

Kenny's eyes narrowed as he kicked the ground lightly, "They're all fuckin' wrecked."

"Oh, well," Omid muttered, his eyes going to the thin sheets of the bed, the white folds crinkling as he pulled them closer. The room, as a whole, seemed to be for a child. The walls were decorated with an aged blue wallpaper with darkened yellow stars surrounding whomever entered. Pictures hung over the bedpost, mountains and family in a triangular fashion. Windows were perched on either side of the bed, gazing out into the back yard, trees filling the view beyond the glass. The dresser rested against the wall, its wooden makings seemingly aged with a picture sitting atop its surface, the color gone but not forgotten, along with the toy bear laying beside it on the ground, dust covering its plush body. He brushed his leg, a distant stare enveloping him as his fingers traced the hardened material covering his leg before shooting back up, optimism returning to his eyes like a long-lost friend. "Well we don't need a boat anyway," he scoffed, "we can make it out of the city on foot."

"Yeah, right," Kenny seethed, glancing at Omid as if he just insulted his intelligence. "Go join Dominic's club then. I'll find a boat on my own."

"Don't be like that," Christa sighed, trying - and failing - to calm the southern man's nerves.

"You just don't get it! This place is crawling with walkers!" Kenny roared, turning on Christa. "That makes it a bit difficult to get out of here _on foot_ , don't ya think?!" He growled, his eyes turning red.

"Calm down Kenny," Chuck grumbled over his guitar, not breaking tune as he glanced up. "They're only trying to help."

Kenny threw his hands into the air in fake exasperation before seething out, "The goddamn guitar wizard speaks! All y'all ever do is shit on my plans, _every one of you_ , and it's _**really**_ gettin' on my nerves!"

"Maybe because it's a stupid goddamn plan," Chuck continued, his voice remaining calm despite the Floridian's hate-fueled seething, "What do you think's gonna happen once you get out on the water? We live happily ever after? We'll run out of food and fresh water first. We're better off in the countryside."

Kenny puffed, clenching his fists as he glared at the older man before turning around, searching the room like a killer looking for his next target, until he feasted his attention to Ben who shrunk back immediately as Kenny's bloodthirsty eyes narrowed. "And _you_! Lee told you to watch Clementine, and she just shows up at the riverfront!"

"It- it's not my fault!" Ben stuttered, looking around the room helplessly for support. "I- I- I had to help Christa with bandaging Omid's leg. She must've slipped out when I wasn't looking."

"Uh-huh," Kenny growled, a finger aimed at Ben like a gun.

"Stop throwing blame around Kenny, _I_ didn't even know Clementine slipped out," Christa shouted, taking a step towards the hot head. "So calm down, or _get out!_ "

He stood motionless, shooting glares at everyone in his path before turning around, storming out and leaving a trail of dust in his wake. His mind raced as he exited the room; he had no boat, his friends were turning against him by the tenfolds, basically this day has been nothing but shit. He reached the stairs, descending each step with his anger sending sonic booms throughout the building, stopping only to release a minute piece of tension; punching the wall. He glanced at his victim; a small hole where his knuckles had been, which showed immediate bruise marks. Pausing no more than a second to extract a grunt from his actions, he marched into the kitchen, tugging at every cabinet he saw through blood-filled rage. He continued his rampage, flinging dusted item after expired thing aside, ignoring Carley's worried questions from behind him, they were only whispers through his fight. He flung open more cabinets, not even reading labels as he tossed the boxes into the back of the shelves, until he reached the last one. He flung it open, seeing a bottle of wine sitting comfortably in its place inside on the wooden shelf. Kenny stared blankly at the bottle before reaching, grasping it calmly before opening it. He guzzled its contents, closing his eyes as the contents rolled down his throat, pictures of Duck and Katjaa floating through his mind.

* * *

 _Junk._ That single word repeated over and over in Molly's head as she rummaged through the bedroom: torn clothes, various personal items, some jewelry; nothing of value. She tore through the rest of the dresser, clothes flying over her head as the bottom came into view. Only dust and chipped wood remained as she tossed the drawer to the side; out of sight, out of mind. She scanned the room, eagle eyes searching; a broken lamp, the destroyed dresser, the bed. _The_ _bed_. She rushed over to the mattress, lifting it to reveal a shining revolver atop the bed frame. She held the gun in her hand, twisting it around in her palms and feeling the cold metal weigh heavily in her grip. She returned to scanning, blankly placing the revolver in her pocket as she walked over to the closet. Her whole body tensed as the door creaked open across the room, turning around to see Dominic walking in casually, hand pressed against his wound. Her eyes narrowed to form a glare as he glanced in her direction.

"Find anything useful?" He inquired in a flat tone, his eyes wandering to the pistol grip sticking out of her jeans pocket.

She pulled out the revolver and flicked open the cylinder, nothing but empty chambers greeting her. "Just an empty gun," She grunted.

He shrugged slightly, looking at the gun. "We might have some ammo for it; you'll have to ask Kenny."

"I'm not asking that asshole for anything," She snapped at the boy through gritted teeth.

"Fine then," Dominic muttered, unmoved. "But I'm not asking him for you." After a brief moment of silence, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and sauntered back towards the door, "Well, I guess I should go 'rest' now, have fun with your empty gun." He began to walk out of the room as she glanced away from him, staring into the closet as if searching for anything interesting.

"Hey," she growled, a question bubbling to the surface in her mind. The boy stopped dead in his tracks, shooting a short glance in her direction. "How the _**fuck**_ do you know about Crawford?"

He looked away and took another step towards the door, ignoring her question completely. Before he could leave, she charged toward him, pulling him back into the room and slamming him against the wall, pressing the empty revolver against his wound, causing him to howl in pain. "How the _ **FUCK**_ do you know about Crawford?!" She hissed, staring into his eyes with hatred pouring out as she forced the barrel deeper into his shoulder.

"Oww! Fucking stop it!" He yelped as blood seeped from the bandage, his face contorting into a grimace of pain. "What the fuck do you _want_ me to say?!"

"Tell me the _**truth**_ ," she roared, tearing the gun away from him before clutching the boy's shoulder with her free hand, holding him in her grasp.

"Fine! You want to know the truth?" His voice was hoarse as anger swelled within the room. "Everyone in there is _dead_. You heard me mention that earlier, huh? I _know_ they're dead because I've seen it. We go in there for supplies, and find them all dead. Ben dies in there too." Her eyes narrowed the more he spoke, lie after lie pouring out of his mouth like a faulty sink; nothing but useless shit. "Go ahead, call me a liar." He spat, the anger growing as she pushed him harder against the wall. "But I'm telling the truth. You can ask Lee or Carley. I'm from the future."

"Bullshit," Molly growled as she stared at the insane asshole before her. Her fist clenched as he spoke, his stomach beginning to look like a target.

"I can prove it," Dominic muttered, a small smirk playing on his face as he stared at her in fierce determination. "You and your sister used to live in Crawford. Your sister had diabetes or something, so you were sleeping with the doctor for medicine. He cut you off, so your sister is killed by Crawford. Sound about right?"

She stood, motionless. Her hands slowly released their grasp as this psycho stared at her. Without even blinking, she sent her fist directly into his stomach, the boy doubling over in pain. " **HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!** " She screamed at him, her face suddenly hot as her hands shook in rage.

He grunted in pain as he gazed up at her, her face full of fury, but continuing his explanation as if nothing has changed. "So you left Crawford; went out on your own; until you found us. But at least now you get to know that those bastards are dead."

She took several steps away from him, staring as the two ties of shock and anger threaded themselves in her mind. She glanced at her palms, noticing them quiver as the irresistible urge to jab Dominic with the gun again grew, the image of his blood staining the blank walls piercing her mind. She continued to stare, speechless at this kid who… **knew**. _He knew everything_ ; it was the **only** thing leaving his throat intact, and the room they stood in clean. But, somehow, this man had hit the nail dead-on. He knew things about her she hadn't told anyone. He gave her undeniable evidence of his knowledge.

Only one question remained, burning a hole in her throat as she whispered.

"How?"

"I honestly don't know," he stated, holding his shoulder where the wound pulsed with pain. "Could be an anomaly, or something more innate. Somehow, from what I've seen, I managed to go back in time twelve years."

"Twelve years?" She stared at him, aghast. "When the hell were you born?"

"1995."

"You're a fucking child."

"Of course I am. A big, hairy child." He sneered, a small grin etching its way across his face. "When were you born, then, Miss Adult?"

She gave him a short glare. "Funny." After a brief pause, she spoke again, "1982."

"Ah, so you'd be… like… thirty-three then. My, you **are** old." He coughed in pain as his eyes fell to the bleeding wound.

"I'm about to hurt you, kid."

"Looks like you already have."

"Good. You were getting annoying."

He chuckled before the pain forced him to stop, "Well, that pretty much describes my existence."

The banter came to a sudden conclusion as a door slammed downstairs. She gazed at him as he shrugged, "Kenny's either pissed off, or Lee's back. Or both."

"Nice to know you have it _all_ figured out."

"Shut up." He muttered, taking the first steps towards the door.

* * *

Silence surrounded them as Lee stepped through the back door, the man from the sewers in tow. Everything had been a blur; one moment, the man had a gun to his head, more than ready to pull the trigger, the next, he was guiding him through the sewers and introducing him to his fellow cancer survivors. To Lee, Vernon seemed like a swell guy, despite holding a gun to his head. He seemed to care for his cancer friends more than himself, in Lee's eyes that made him a sensible leader, more so than Kenny or even himself.

The two men stepped through the kitchen, footsteps resounding through the building as figures moved through the living room, bursting into the kitchen. Guns drawn, Carley, Kenny, and Chuck aimed, ready to fire. Unimaginable silence rang as they stood, only to be disengaged as the trio holstered their weapons, realizing it was him.

"Good, you made it back," Kenny blurted out as he gazed at him, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the real intruder. "Who's this?"

"This is Vernon, he's a doctor. He helped me get back here after we got separated." Lee replied.

"A doctor?" Carley echoed, her eyes suddenly alert as she stared at the new man, "Thank God!"

"What's happened?" Lee asked, his eyes darting between his three comrades.

"It's Dominic's wound," Carley muttered. "After he tried to pick you up, it opened; bled through his bandages. It _might_ be infected. Omid's leg needs looking at as well."

His posture changed, shoulders hunched as Vernon released an aggravated sigh, exchanging a glance with Lee. "I didn't come here to heal your wounded."

"Please?" Carley begged, staring at the man. "Without you, Dominic could die."

All eyes were on Vernon as he pinched his forehead, a headache already brewing. "Fine, I'll see what I can do. Take me to him."

"Hey! You made it back." Another voice exclaimed as two new figures approached from the stairs, "Lee, who's the fossil?" Molly piped, descending the stairs in a stealthy fashion, only to regain neutral posture when she saw everyone holster their weapons. Dominic, on the other hand, hugged the railing as he calculated each step, one hand guiding him downward as the other nursed his wound. Both stood before Lee: Molly confident, as if ready to make future battle plans, while Dominic sifted where he stood, blinking rapidly as the pain washed over him.

Lee's voice was reduced to a muffled whisper, the surroundings muted as his vision focused on the target; his eyes shifting to nothing more than narrow, snake-like slits. The pain in his body erased as adrenaline replaced the blood pumping through his veins, like molten lava ready to burst, steam fuming through his ears. His teeth grinded against his jaw as he let out a distasteful hiss. " _Vernon._ "

"He's a doctor-" Lee started.

" **Vernon** , _you son of a bitch!_ " Dominic hissed as he marched forward, fists raised for the first strike. The memory of Vernon's betrayal blinded him as he raised his hand, aiming for a right hook right below his eyes until something pushed against him. Unseen forces held him back, stopping him mid-swing. He howled, grasping and clawing, seeking blood from the one who was destined to betray them. Dominic saw nothing but Vernon, but he couldn't escape his cage. He glanced, the crimson vision seeping away as he noticed Carley and Chuck holding him by the arms, like bars, holding him back from the _traitorous snake_.

"What the _hell_ is **wrong** with you?!" Carley shouted as he persisted, pushing through her grasp, only to be caught again.

"How the **hell** does he know my name?!" Vernon shot at Lee, his eyes just as narrowed as the boy's.

" **YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!** " Dominic spat. It became perfectly clear who the unforeseen war that he was directing at; both strangers now mortal enemies. Dominic pushed, the forces growing heavier and heavier, until, suddenly, the forces were an unbearable mass, crushing his body to the floor. He stumbled where he stood, weak. Dominic glanced about him, his fellow company in shock, for some reason.

Muffled screams echoed all around him; a shrill screech profoundly puncturing through the chorus; "Oh my god, Dominic!" _Clementine_. He locked eyes with the one man he wanted to destroy as his vision diluted into a mere foggy haze. The world spun as his head collided with something hard, wincing in pain, only to realize it wasn't only his head. He tried to look away, only to be forced, like some other power was holding his skull in place, to look at his arm. With much difficulty, he turned, only to see a foggy red mass coinciding with, what seemed to be, the rest of the room. Dominic let out another shriek, his shoulder pulsating with brutal, agonizing pain. He questioned if Vernon beat him to it, somehow already stabbing him at his weakpoint.

He tried to stand up, only to lift his head and fall back down. Something pressed against his chest, holding him down, as what seemed like hands surrounded his blurred vision. He felt himself being dragged, a hard surface underneath his back. Tears flowed down his cheeks as his shoulder seemed to only bulge, the floor not being much of a savior.

"Fuck…. you…. Verno-" He whispered, a figure now standing above him, only to disappear as the world faded to black, the feeling in his body ebbing away as his consciousness drifted into the void.

* * *

A cold chill rushed past him as he opened his eyes. The sky loomed over him in a black drape as he regained focus, the stars above him seemingly more lit as the seconds passed on. He jumped up, ready to fight when he noticed his surroundings had changed entirely; the room had disappeared, replaced with trees and roots. He glanced around, leaves of assorted colors scattered about on top of dirt and insects, all scattering due to his manic appearance. The trees above him danced as the wind brushed by, the limbs swaying in sync as the light rustling filled his ears. Various whistles and ticks hovered over the forest, crickets and owls in the distance. To his right, an opening perched with dimly lit branches. He walked, with surprising ease, to the light, a clearance opening through the brush. The bark hung, frozen to the touch as he pressed onward, the rotten wood falling to the ground as he let it go. The ground crunched underneath his feet, only to end in deafening silence when the clearing came into view. He stared; a small fire burned silently in the center of the clearing, sending light dancing around in the trees and smoke to soar into the surrounding forest. A spit hung through the flames neatly, holding the carcass of a dead squirrel as its shadow loomed underneath. As he stepped closer, he noticed a young woman sat, her back towards him, on one of the roots, gnawing on a chunk of meat.

She couldn't of been older than seventeen or eighteen, her body skinny and built, wearing a blank white t-shirt with a black overcoat one size too big for her body. Blue jeans with multiple tears covered her legs; obviously worn out sneakers protecting her feet. The woman's hair was jet black, somewhat short, with two pigtails sticking out neatly underneath her worn out cap. The color was barely visible; a somewhat blue hint lingered under the dirt. She didn't look clean, as if she hadn't bathed for years, as more dirt stuck to her hair and skin, even more clinging to her clothes. The sudden smell reached his nostrils, causing him to cough. _How long has she been here?_

She jumped, spinning around as his cough echoed through the forest, standing with her hand already gripping the pistol holstered in her pocket.

"Who's there?!" she called out, her eyes scanning the edges of the clearing, "I swear to god, Donnie, if you're playing tricks on me again."

 _Donnie?_ Dominic's head spun as the name pierced his brain. That was his childhood nickname; the name his family always called him. But it's just a coincidence, right? He didn't know who this girl was, how could she know his name?

When the surrounding trees beared no answer, she clicked the hammer on her pistol down, her demeanor changing from humour to fear as she brought the pistol closer to her chest. Her voice trembled slightly as she let out a deep breath, her voice harsh as she shouted into the woods. "I've got a gun. So unless you don't want to get shot, I'd come out and introduce yourself."

Dominic sighed,realizing he simply couldn't play invisible any longer. Stepping into the cone of light dancing around the clearing, he called out, staring into her barrel. "It's alright, I'm friendly."

"Who are you?" She growled, her weapon aimed directly at his chest.

"I could ask you the same question," Dominic answered simply. He tried to examine her further, but she was cast into shadow as the fire burned behind her.

There was a brief pause as she analyzed the man's voice while both of them stared at each other. The deepness of his voice echoing into the night sounded _too_ familiar. Her hands tightened around the trigger as she hissed, "My name's Clementine."

 _Holy shit._

He took a few more steps forward until the light bathed his face in its warm glow, "Clem? Is- what the fuck?!" He whispered, his brain unable to comprehend her new stature as she held the gun lower, letting it fall limp in her fingers. He struggled to catch his breath, his throat closing as he choked on the harsh reality. He felt the air around him, a harsh cold blowing from every direction, except for the fire that gave off what hint of heat it could. He stared at her, her facial features becoming more recognizable and familiar through the burning light. He could see it now: the glowing yellow eyes, the petite nose, only the face was older, more mature. The way she carried herself was like a mirror image of who she once was; inside this young woman, he could still see _her_. She was hardened now, yet she still retained a shred of humanity; she still had fear. In a way, she reminded Dominic of Lilly: tough, determined, human. Characteristics that he admired, yet they were slowly fading away within him as the dark force of insanity rose from its ashes.

Her eyes trailed over Dominic as she examined his features. He wore a white t-shirt, tattered and bloody, with a black hoodie, and a pair of black tennis shoes and jeans. His brown hair fell down just below his ears, and a pair of black glasses sat on the rim of his nose. He looked just like Donnie. But how? He was much younger…

"D-Dominic?" She stuttered, the grip on her pistol loosening as the forest waved side to side, the barrel of her gun following suit, dropping it to the ground as her head grew lighter. "Is that you? H-how?"

"God Clem," Dominic gasped, a mere whisper piercing the forest as he stared at her in awe, her dizziness unnoticed. "You've grown."

"But-" Clementine's jaw continued to drop, her eyes darting from this younger Donnie to behind the boy, where her Donnie should've been, then back to the boy. "How the fuck? You look like you're seventeen."

"Gee, thanks. I'm nineteen actually, or twenty. I thought the beard would make that pretty obvious." he grumbled, trying to count the years.

"Okay," Clementine whispered, "I'm going insane." she slapped herself as she stared at him, his features unchanging. "How can _you_ be here?"

"Trust me, if I knew, I'd tell you." He sighed, taking a seat next to the fire as she continued to stare at him. He took a moment to think before asking his next question. The fire burned before him as he reached out, feeling the heat get more and more intense as his fingers grew closer to the flames, until he jerked his hand back. He glanced around him, feeling more certain the air was a nice chill as he raised the same hand, feeling the insane rush of blood run from boiling and painful, down to a frozen thin layer under his skin. He quickly brought it back down, blowing the heat into his palms as his body shivered. _Shivered._ "Where are we? What year is it?" He stuttered, taking in that this was _real_.

"It's, uh, 2011 now I think?" She mumbled, sitting down on the opposite side of the fire, "It's been about eight years since the beginning, that's all I know." He stared at her, the features of her face perfectly visible now; several scars lined her skin, all different shapes and sizes. One scar cut across her lip, brown and faded, as if it was an old injury. Her yellow eyes glistened with the fire, and her wrist, a thick scar running over it, as if a large animal bit her many years prior. The cap he noticed earlier was the same cap she wore as a child, only solidifying in Dominic's mind that this was indeed Clementine that sat before him.

"Eight years. Jesus, no wonder you're all-" His sentence ran cold as he finally got a good look at her in the light. She had grown alright, almost unrecognizable from the little girl he knew. He found himself looking away in guilt, as if he was looking at his own sister instead of a random girl around his age. "Well, at least I'm still older than you." He smirked, turning back to her.

She let out a small giggle, the tension in the air dying away just as quickly as it had appeared. "I was still born before you, so **I'm** older."

"At least I finished high school," He sneered, the fact he was now eight years into the future fading away into his subconscious, along with the suddenly non-existent pain he should have felt from his shoulder.

"You'd be surprised," she winked, stuffing her fallen pistol back into her pocket.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out in about five or six years."

"But that's too long to wait."

"Anyway," she interrupted the flow, returning back to Dominic's original question, "We're in Ohio, just outside of Kent. Something bad went down… we don't know if anyone else made it out alive." Her eyes went to the flames as she spoke, the happiness that lit her face before now dissolving into grief. "I guess in the end, the dead always win. That's the biggest lesson all these years have taught me."

"You even _sound_ grown up," Dominic tried to smile, but the tear glinting in her eye prevented any hint of happiness as his smile, too, faded. "I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry. If I'm still around, I know that I'd be doing everything I can to make things better."

She sniffled slightly as she wiped the offending tear away, "You do. That's what makes you a good leader."

"I don't know," Dominic muttered, his eyes falling to the flames, baffled. "With everything I've done, I don't think I _should_ be a leader. No one seems to listen to me anyway, and when they do, it's usually too late."

She laughed before scooting over to his side of the fire, patting him on the back. "A lot of people didn't see eye-to-eye with you, especially Kenny, but I don't think a single one of them would call you a bad leader." She shrugged as she spoke, hugging this younger version of Donnie, realizing the wall she built could be torn down. "To some, you were like a prophet."

"A prophet? Because of the whole foreknowledge thing?" He scoffed, glancing at her. "I don't think that should be enough to be a 'prophet'. I make mistakes just like anyone else."

"But you learned from those mistakes, and became something more than the boy you were. People looked up to you. Not saying you were perfect, but a lot of us owe our lives to you." The air grew colder as ferocious winds blew through the clearing, leaves and debris following. The distant sounds of thunder signaled the oncoming approach of a storm, sending the faint whiff of rain as a warning. The crackling of the fire became the only source of comfort as the world around them fell into silence.

Dominic shifted as the wind froze him, his thin hoodie barely retaining any warmth. He gazed at Clementine, who stared into the fire blankly, poking the embers with a thin stick she found in the dirt, before rotating the spit that she had speared the squirrel on. The silence began to feel like a noose around his neck, suffocating the life out of the duo. Breaking the silence, Dominic finally spoke up, his signature sarcasm dripping from his voice, "I'm not perfect?"

She grinned before punching him in the shoulder, "Shut up." She sighed, spinning the squirrel a tiny bit more before the next question burning in her mind bubbled to the surface. "So, you have no idea how you got here? Where were you before this?"

"I was, well," his voice trailed off as the hatred for Vernon that burned within him reignited, "I was about to punch Vernon in his traitorous fuckin' face. That's pretty much it. We were at the house in Savannah."

Her eyes fell as the words sank in, depression kicking in as the images of her old friend blew through her mind. "When Lee died…"

"I won't let that happen," Dominic interrupted, determination thick in his voice.

"Some things can't be changed," she muttered, "you can try, but life finds a way."

"I saved Carley and Chuck," Dominic added, "I'll save Lee too."

"If you could, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?" She deadpanned, eyes cold.

"Since when did you get a degree in time travel?" He sneered, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

"Since we discovered the Travelers."

"The Travelers?" He echoed.

"It's a long story."

"And who's actually with you? Me?"

"Yeah, it's you," she shrugged, "at least the older you."

"This is getting confusing fast," he mumbled, kicking a pebble through the dirt.

"You don't know the half of it," she stated as a tree branch cracked in the distance, causing both teenagers to stiffen.

As Clementine pulled out her pistol once more, Dominic whispered, " _Walker?_ "

" _I don't know._ "

Another crack echoed just beyond the clearing, the branches close by swaying nervously as the noises got closer. "Okay," Clementine whispered, releasing the safety and pulling the hammer back for a second time. "Please tell me you've got a weapon."

"I've got…" he patted his pockets, feeling nothing, realizing now his pistol was gone. His mind went into a frenzy as he searched his pockets, finally pulling out his infamous black knife. "Well, a knife."

She nodded once, raising the barrel towards the intruder before turning back to Dominic. "Alright, just follow my lead."

" _Clem, it's me! I heard voices; who's there?!_ "

It was eerie how similar the voice was to Dominic's. It felt as if the words slipped out of his own mouth rather than from across the clearing. It sounded deeper, but the light tone was still there. Clementine smiled as she flicked the safety back on and stood up. "It's okay, it's a friend!"

"A _friend_?" The voice scoffed. "Friendly people don't exist any-" He stepped into the clearing, his voice breaking as he stared, mouth agape, at the boy beside Clementine. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Well, this is awkward."

Dominic glanced over his older self, noticing immediately the years have worn him. He was taller now, about 6'2". He wore a torn black hoodie, similar to what he was wearing now. His hair was shaggy, down to his shoulders, with a thick beard covering his face, yet trimmed. He still wore the glasses he came into the world with, but his left lens had a crack running diagonally up the side. The weirdest part, Dominic thought to himself, were the scars; they littered his body. Above his eyes, what seemed to have been a gash inked across his forehead, a thick wrinkle of callused skin built over the wound. His nose, in particular, looked as if someone, or something, peeled away at the right side of it, allowing later years for it to regrow tougher skins. Through the hoodie, he couldn't tell, but by the markings across his callused hands, he was willing to bet there were loads. "Who the **fuck** are you?" He seethed, raising his gun and bringing Dominic back to the present.

"I'm you, technically." The younger Dominic stated simply.

"Bullshit," his older self spat, inching closer, his finger firmly pressed against the trigger. "That's not even possible. Time travel prevents it."

"Well, obviously, it doesn't."

The older Dominic glared at his younger self, as if analyzing the boy. "Well," he started, confusion spilling from his tone. "You _look_ like me. I suppose anything's possible. The fuck you want then?" He stepped back, aiming again, not allowing this idiot to fool him.

"I didn't come here _willingingly_ ," The younger Dominic growled, already fed up with himself.

"Well, go back then, before you fuck up the timeline or something."

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?"

"Well, we're the same person, so…"

"Can you two _please_ shut the fuck up!" Clementine shouted at them, breaking up the fight instantly as she jumped between the two. They were all standing; older and younger Dominic glaring at each other, while Clementine held the two at bay. Silence erupted from the trio, allowing the thunder to ring overhead, the threat of rain more imminent as the silence became more weary.

"You taught her how to curse," the younger Dominic muttered, ending the silence on a sarcastic note. "How dare you."

"Don't you start."

"How the fuck do you live with this guy Clem? It's like living with my brother all over again." The young Dominic sneered.

"Can we please get back to the situation at hand? Like how the fuck _you_ got here, and how to send you back?!" Clementine growled, turning on the young boy.

"Well, let's start with the basics then," the older Dominic muttered, the annoyance clearing from his voice. "What were you doing before you got here?"

"I was in Savannah; Lee just got back from the sewers with Vernon…"

"...and you tried to knock him out. Yeah, I remember that." The older Dominic shrugged, plopping down onto the ground in front of the fire before looking up at himself. "Almost forgot about all of this happening: going to the future."

"Well, do you remember how you got back?"

"I kind of just, woke up. As if it had been all a dream." He let out a sigh as more thunder pierced the air, the storm only moments away from engulfing them. The stars had all but disappeared, the clouds obscuring any hint. The air was freezing, with little to no help from the small fire that grew smaller by the second, as if preparing for the oncoming end. "Well, if you were in Savannah, that means you haven't dealt with the Stranger yet."

"He wasn't there at the house," the younger Dominic stated. "He changed his plans so I couldn't kill him, knowing that I knew his every move."

"Yeah, the fucking Traveler bastard." Dominic mused, looking into the fire.

"What the hell is a Traveler anyway?" Dominic muttered, facing his older self as he sat down next to the fire.

"Time Travelers basically, some have the ability to rewind, some have the ability to do both. Most don't have the ability at all, but still have the gene. It's a bit complicated really." He turned to look at his younger self. "Anyway, he uses his powers to win over Clementine. When you go back, you need to stop him doing that. He won't take her to the Marsh House, not with you knowing everything you know. I don't remember where he took her, but if you can stop him from taking her in the first place, he'll come to you."

"Okay then, how do I get back? You still haven't explained that one."

"The same way we got into this mess in the first place," the older Dominic muttered, pulling out a revolver from his jeans. "Hopefully the shock will slingshot you back to the present."

"Whoa, wait a second. You're not suggesting…?" The younger Dominic's eyes grew as he stared at himself, thinking he, himself, _whatever_ , was insane.

"There's gotta be another way," Clementine shouted, staring down at the older Dominic. "You can't just _kill_ yourself."

"You don't understand Clem, this is how it happened! I don't know how or why, but this is how it happened!"

"That's fucking crazy!" Dominic spat.

" _Trust me._ " He swiftly raised the revolver to point it at his younger self before either of them could react, looking himself dead in the eyes before pulling the trigger as Clementine cried out.


	14. Alive

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 14: Alive**

* * *

"So, you're telling me this asshole **knew** my family would die, and did **NOTHING** about it?!"

"How can you trust him if he doesn't even tell you what's going to happen?!"

"Honey, calm down, he might've not-"

"Don't tell me to calm down, Omid! I'm with Kenny on this one, if Dom knew all this shit, he should've told us! You too, Lee!"

"You wouldn't of believed me anyway! Dominic **tried** to save people! I've seen him do it! He saved Shawn back on Hershel's farm, remember Kenny? He saved Carley, and tried to warn us about the St. Johns. You're making him into the villain when the **real** villain is still out **there**! You can't blame the kid for being human!"

"Fuck that, Lee! My wife and child are dead because of this motherfucker. Because of his **arrogance**! I vote we kick him out **RIGHT NOW**!"

"We're not kicking Dominic out! Lee's right, he's done nothing but try to save us since the beginning. He took a bullet for me! You're acting like **he's** the one that killed your family; that he was the one giving our supplies to the bandits! He had no control over what went down, so cut him some slack!"

"Fuck you Carley, you kept this a secret too! Don't you think the rest of us have the right to know this shit?!"

"C-can we all just calm down?!"

"Shut the fuck up Ben!"

"Stop bullying him Kenny! All you ever do is fucking point your finger at everyone; if you got off your damned high horse for a second, you'll realize that we're not the fucking bad guys here! You're just like Lilly!"

The scene came to a standstill as everyone stared in Carley's direction, shock, awe, and confusion etched across their faces. The heat of the moment turned onto its side, leaving a glimmer of complete sadness etched across everyone's faces as the room fell into a deathly silence. Clementine, standing off to the side, shook as the booming voices launched throughout the room, tiptoed behind Lee, hiding from the backlash sure to come. Kenny's seething audibly filled the room; a wild monster ready to pounce on its elusive prey.

"I- I am **NOTHING** like that bitch," Kenny growled, his fists clenched tightly. He shook as he gazed at everyone in the room with a frown on his face, as if Carley had really hurt his feelings. He swayed as he talked, pointing a wavy finger at Carley.

"Take that back." He mumbled.

"We're not throwing **anybody** out! If you want to get rid of him Kenny, you'll have to go through **me** ," Lee spat, gesturing Clementine to Carley's side as he approached the angry southerner.

Kenny's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my way."

"No."

Everyone remained where they stood, eyes wide, as the two men approached each other. Lee looked onward to Kenny, like an old friend who had betrayed his group; Kenny looked, just the same. With fists clenched, they peered into each other's eyes, the blood pounding through their veins, ready to pour onto the skin beside them. The cold air rested, surrounding the group, the taste of the overwhelming hatred filling everyone's mouth.

Clementine charged out of Lee's way like a speeding bullet, clinging to Carley like a fatal lifeline. Everything had gone from simple to chaotic in the recent hours, like fine china dropped, to forever shatter and never return to its former glory. When Lee revealed Dominic's past, she had imagined nothing but sympathy, possibly a little apathy, for her best friend. As the broken glass took a final shift before stopping forever parallel with friction, that dream remained lost in the cracks. She imagined the secret like a gift; accepted graciously as a token of their friendship. For Kenny, apparently, this was a declaration of war; only the blood of his newly found nemesis would be accepted. Like the famous domino metaphor, more china fell as her group fell apart at the seams, all the while clutching onto Carley's leg, the warmth of her skin and the jagged ripples in her jeans the only comfort left in this nightmare she never wanted.

"Fine," the word slipped out of Kenny's mouth as if it was a curse. "Have it your way then. But if he comes to, I don't want 'em anywhere near me. He's your problem now."

As quickly as it began, the tension in the air dispersed. Kenny marched out of the room, twisting around and stomping up the stairs, grasping the wall for support. Everyone remained still as they watched Lee limp away, staring down at Dominic's unconscious body before lifting and carrying him into the living room, laying him down on the couch once again.

"Well, that could've gone better…" Molly's voice trailed off from her section of the kitchen as she exchanged glances with Lee and Carley.

"We're going to need some antibiotics for his wound," Lee stated, ignoring Molly's sarcastic remark.

"What about him?" Chuck mumbled, pointing towards Vernon, who stood in the doorframe, frozen to the spot.

Lee turned to Vernon, his eyes narrowing towards the slouched man as he spoke. "If Dominic doesn't like you, he must have a good reason. I need you to leave."

"I haven't done a thing," Vernon shot back, immediately straight and alert while obviously hurt by Lee's lack of hospitality. "Just because he's some _time traveler_ doesn't mean he knows me."

"Just leave, Vernon." He pressed, shrugging the old man off. Vernon eyes narrowed as he stared at Lee. After an agonizing moment passed, he turned around, heading out the back door for the last time, slamming it with a loud bang. Once he was gone, everyone turned, eyes on Lee.

"What now?" Ben inquired, his eyes jumping between the remaining members.

"Dominic mentioned a boat," Carley stated, leaning against the sink as all eyes were now shooting to her, "he said all it's missing is gas and a battery. Said that we could get those in Crawford, along with medical supplies."

"Crawford? Are you serious?" Molly shouted, slamming her fist on the counter in defiance. "Dominic said that place is full of geeks. We could get trapped in there."

"I know but… it's the only way we're getting that medicine, and the parts we need for that boat." Carley sighed.

Lee glanced up to the stairwell, then nodded his head slightly. "We can't leave Kenny here alone with Dom. Christa, can you stay and look after him?"

"I-" She hesitated, her eyes flickering between the unconscious boy and Lee. "Fine. Omid stays here too; his leg stills needs time to heal."

"Alright, we've got ourselves a plan then," Lee muttered, wiping his face with his hands.

"How are we gonna find these supplies?" Chuck asked, leaning against the wall as he spoke. "We've got no idea where Crawford had their supplies stashed; we'd be going in blind."

"We'll figure that out once we get there," Lee muttered, taking his significant point into account. "Alright people, let's go."

"Wait!" Clementine squealed, releasing Carley's leg from her grasp and tugging on Lee's hand. "Can't I come too?"

Lee let out a small sigh before kneeling down in front of her, his eyes softening as he spoke. "It's too dangerous, sweet pea. I need you to stay here and help Christa with Omid and Dominic, okay?"

"But…" she whined, a pouty face forming between her eyebrows. "But you said I'm supposed to always stay close to you…"

"I know Clem, but I need you to be _safe_. I need Dominic to be safe. Please, do this for me?" Her eyes fell to the floor as a tear welled up in her eye, her shoulders crashing to the floor along with her hopes and dreams. She wanted to stay with Dominic, helping him and watching him get better, but she didn't want Lee to go in there without her. She could help him, maybe even save him. With the enormity of the dilemma and her tiny fingers clenched for rebellion, she realized her fate. She made things worse by telling her 'friend' over the radio about Dominic, and because of her actions, there was no hope. And if Dominic died, it would be all her fault. She let out a sniffle as she nodded her head slowly, returning her gaze to Lee.

"Good," he soothed as he hugged her tightly, "we'll be back before you know it."

He patted her shoulder before leaving the living room and stepping out of the back door, flanked by the others as they grabbed their weapons and stepped single-file out of the house. A silent cry echoed out of her soul as she crashed beside Dominic's lifeless body, unsure as to why it had crushed her all at once. The emotions tore through her small limbs as the house buzzed with whispers, but felt so dark and empty at the same time. The tears fell into her tiny palms as she imagined this was the last time any of them would walk through that back door, even Lee. As she sat there, she wrapped her arms around her tiny legs and mumbled under her breath, a mere whisper that barely reached Omid and Christa's ears.

" _Please be lucky._ "

* * *

 **Day 107**

" _Clementine baby, can you hear me? It's Mommy. If you can hear me, please answer…_ "

She groaned as the rain stained glass came into focus. She shifted her arms as her head pounded with the brutal nightmare she was awakening to. The memories branded her brain rapidly like the earth falling against the soaked bricks. Clementine stretched her tiny legs as she watched in agony, her friends leaving the night before; all determined to find the supplies. She sat up, gazing out into the streets. The earth ran as the water hit, gently falling back against the house, mud and grass laying carefully under the glass. She sighed, watching as her memories turned black and white, with only three of five of her friends returning from Crawford through the dreaded back doors. Tears welled up in her eyes again as Ben and Chuck's voices rang in her ears for the final time, knowing she would never hear them again. Their faces scarred into her mind, as she silently cursed the supplies that took their lives.

She rolled over, staring at the chandelier above the center of the room, it's light long gone, leaving only shadows stretching across the dark room, then replaced by the glare of the sun through the windows as the ball of fire rose above the horizon. She glanced at the desk, gazing at the designs and the texture of the chair that lived beside it. She rubbed her eyes, more memories flooding the trenched dark void behind her eyelids; Molly had left, the others said as they stumbled through the door. Her chest shook her with heart breaking agony as Lee's face pierced her mind; tears streaming down everyone's face as the news was released. Everyone went their separate ways, silence devouring the depression inside of the house.

Dominic remained unmoved, unconscious as he lay on the couch, the appalling news awaiting him. Kenny had shut himself out with the door unmoved since his disappearance, swearing to not return until Lee informed him of the boat stowed away in the backyard garage. Carley and Lee retreated upstairs, resting in an office down the hall and passing out together on the couch inside. Christa and Omid had never left their room; the concerned woman tending to his wound all night until he fell asleep, only for her to join in soon after. This left Clementine alone after the horrific incident, stumbling to a random room, tears blinding her vision. She lay atop the windowsill, steadily crying as her mind processed the day. She cried, her mind shifting from Chuck and Ben, to her parents as the skies began to rain.

Their laughter filled her ears. _Will I ever see Mommy and Daddy ever again?_ The thought pounded in her head as the realization struck her: they will **never** find them. She bawled, curling her tiny body into a ball of tears. She overheard, the group thought it best to leave the city immediately, seeking shelter elsewhere. Her heart tore itself to pieces, leaving Clementine to scream a silent wail of pain. All of her hope faded as she heard her parents laugh. She cried herself to sleep, only to wake up inside of her mother's arms. _I remember this._ Her mother held her as she giggled, watching dad tickle her. Her dream faded, recovering as she ran inside her home, the bus engine starting back up in the background as she called out _"I'm home!",_ thrilled to see her parents coming around the corner, hugs and kisses awaiting her. As Clementine continued to dream, tears slowly fell from her eyes, the knowledge seeping in that her mother, father, and home were gone, and that she would never feel their warmth, _again_.

" _Clem, sweetie? I need you to listen to me. Your father's sick and-_ "

Clementine stirred, jolting off of the windowsill as the infamous voice filled her ears. She searched the dark room, searching for the direction of the female voice. Her heart raced as she scanned the desk, finding nothing but dust. She glanced across the room, noticing Lee and Carley cuddled together, asleep on the couch. She shifted her eyes before the couch, seeing the red light beaming throughout the room; the walkie-talkie. Her voice cracked as she let out a soft murmur.

"Mommy?"

" _and… the doctors aren't sure if he's going to make it but… I know he will._ " Clementine could hear a faint sniffle before the voice continued. " _John says that daddy only has a fever, and that it'll all be okay. But, I needed to know that you were safe… and after I couldn't get ahold of Sandra I- I didn't know what to do. John promised to help me find you._ "

Clementine rushed over and picked up the radio, her skin running cold as she clicked down the button and whispered, "Mommy, it's me. I'm here!"

" _I don't know if you're hearing this but, just know that we'll find you baby. Everything is going to be okay. We're going to be okay._ "

"Mommy?" She repeated over and over again, holding down the button but received no response. "Mommy, please tell me where you are…"

" _John's here now,"_ the voice croaked, cutting her off." _He's going to tell you where to find us. I'll see you soon…_ "

The voice stopped. Clementine stared at the radio in silence as her mind attempted to process this amazing scenario; Her mother was out there! A smile stole the frown that had been etched into her face, quickly receding into more crying as she held the radio close to her ear. Her heart pounded a steady rhythm, whispering into her veins that she didn't have to pretend anymore; Mommy would find her, they can go home. It was almost too good to be true. She clicked the transmit button again, ready to call out for her mother again, but the radio roared to life once again, a new, yet familiar voice replacing her mother's.

" _Clementine, it's me, John. Your mother, uh, walked out. Can you hear me?_ "

She knew that voice, the average tone, shaky and yet demanding as it screeched out of the tiny receiver. It was the Stranger's.

She froze, her blood pausing in her skin as her mind searched for hundreds of responses, only coming to a halt at the same crossroad. _If the Stranger is with my parents, then Dominic…_

"Where are my parents?"

" _They're close, don't worry. Your mother went to go check on your father._ " His voice sounded rushed as she pressed her ears to the talkie, backing away from the table and sitting on top of the windowsill once again.

"Did he get bitten?" She questioned.

" _...No, I don't think so. He's going to be fine Clementine, but it's you that I'm worried about._ " His tone shifted with every response; from hurried and rush to a more worried, sentimental voice. She glanced over to the couch, Lee and Carley unable to hear her hushed conversation.

"Why?" She asked, her fingers starting to shake as the unbearable phrase scratched at her lips.

" _Because you are still with_ _ **them**_ _. They've been keeping you from your family, all to themselves. They don't want you to find your mother and father. They've denied you that reunion since the beginning."_

"You're wrong." Clementine hissed, defending the family that took her in. She stared at the walkie-talkie, knowing fully well uncertainty lingered in her preaching. Deep down, that nagging feeling surfaced; maybe, all this time, she **was** being lied to, about everything. "I wouldn't be here without them." She croaked.

" _That may be true, but that doesn't make them the good guys. Anyone can save a child, Clementine. Even the cruelest, most wretched people can be heroes. Why do you think Dominic wants to kill me? Just because I'm a 'threat'? He knows I'm the only one that can bring you home. So why trust him when all he ever does is lie to you and put you in danger? Keeps you from your true family? Why care about him at all, if all he does is stab you in the back?_ "

The tears returned with every word the Stranger... _John_ released out of the talkie. Every moment she could remember of her and Dominic filled her mind; the laughs, the cries, him teaching her how to use a gun. _Was it all a lie?_

"No…"

" _Please, just listen to me. Your parents miss you. If you're ready to see them again, just meet me at the Marsh House, I'll escort you from there, okay? You remember the Marsh House right? Where you and your family would stay when you visited Savannah?"_

"Yeah…" She gulped, the lump in her throat devastating. "Yeah, I remember. I'll…" Her eyes flickered to the sleeping forms of her friends, realizing now that they weren't her friends all along. "I'll be there." She whispered.

" _You don't know how relieved I am to hear that, I'll go tell your parents now. Just stay safe, okay? Everything's going to get better soon._ "

She set the radio back down on the table, taking one last look at her old friends laying on the couch. Carley had her arm draped over Lee, who's head pressed against the arm of the couch. As she stare at them, hatred built up inside her body, nausea following soon after. _Why did they lie?_ Her vision quickly shifted of Lee from him being a savior at her house, to a kidnapper. What if John had been looking for her? What if he got scared when she wasn't there, and Lee had **taken** her? She turned her back on her savior that she used to hold so high, and tiptoed out of the room.

Forever.


	15. Survive

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 15: Survive**

* * *

" **NO!** "

His voice rang out like an echo as he felt his body hurl forward, the feeling of a sucker punch grasping the air out of his lungs. He opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he gazed at his surroundings; a dimly lit room, wooden walls surrounding him, with a fireplace burning to his right. Dominic blinked a few more times as he rubbed his eyes, quickly glancing down at himself. He felt nothing and everything all at once; his legs seemed to be phantomized, along with every other limb. It felt as if every nerve in his body had shut down, only to be immediately rebooted, leaving his body in a nightmarish tingle. His heart came into play, pumping away as his brain was back _here_ , focusing on one, overwhelming drive.

 _Calm down… Calm down… Calm down…_

He shook his head, the leather he lay on spinning in and out of focus, leaving his brain distracted into a short term migraine as sweat started dripping off of his forehead. He stared at his fingers, the past five minutes… or was it ten? He didn't know, each minute seemed to slip by at a rapid pace.

 _Calm… Calm… Calm…_

He focused every muscle in his brain, staring at the little specks that were his fingers. It felt like ants were crawling throughout his body, infesting his limbs like wildfire. The nerves were itching into overdrive, sending not only his hands and feet, but torso and face into a frenzy. The crawlers creeped up his neck, settling into his jaw line before spilling over his lips. His tongue salivating as tiny drips soaked his shirt, slowly settling the realization that he was actually wet. The tingling seemed to last for hours, a constant fight between asleep limbs and sanity, until inch after inch, the tingling began to fade.

Dominic heaved a deep breath, cornering himself against the leather couch before violently wiping the spit off of his mouth.

"W-w-what…. the….. fuck?" He stuttered, glancing around the room; empty. The fire lay lit, with only a tiny flame flickering from under the burned coals. All of the doors remained shut, and the candlelights headed to the back door were extinguished for what seemed to be the first time since he's been there. Distant sounds echoed from above him, slithering down into his ear canal as he focused on the few footsteps he heard coming from the direction of the stairs.

"Clementine.. _**WHERE'S CLEMENTI**_ **-** " He hissed, before he was thrown back against the couch, a menacing reminder bleeding through his mind. _He_ _remembered_. The gun, the woods, Clementine and…. _Himself._

He sat, frozen as the entire scene fleshed out again, like remembering a nightmare right when you wake up. The cold air brushed past him again as he stared into the logs of the burning campfire, glancing up to see the adult Clementine. He stared at her facial features, still able to see the Clementine he knew and loved until the scene changed, and a cold barrel stared at him head on, the future Dominic pulling the trigger. A loud shot echoed as…. he woke up.

He stared into his lap, his menacing headache slipping away, down his spine and into his shoulder… the gun wound. He grazed the bandages, a red, thick clot trickling down his fingers as he winced in pain.

"Ow! Fuck!" He whispered as he grasped his shoulder, questioning his ability to get up. He leaned an elbow against the arm of the couch, gently sliding his fingers down to an elevated position. Dominic swung his feet around, wobbly, and flattened them onto the hardwood floor. With a great sigh, he hoisted himself up, grasping the couch again for immediate support. His head went through a minefield; from a murderous headache to dizzy and empty to complacent in quick succession. He looked towards the kitchen; so close yet so far. The open door frame spun as he limped onward, collapsing onto any surface necessary to keep himself up during his march. With every step, he fought, until the door was in plain view, and the counter laid his final resting place.

"About damn time you woke up."

The voice rang through his mind like a bass drum beating his brain. With his eyes squinted, he turned turned to see a distorted figure inches from him. Fist ready, he aimed, before the blurry vision grabbed him, pressing against his stomach, uneven breaths forcing out of his mouth as he welcomed the familiar violence.

"You know, a simple hello would've been enough," the voice grunted with sarcasm as the unclear intruder gave tension to his windpipes. It was a lighter voice, a woman's. _Molly?_ The arms enclosing him felt cold to the touch, as if the cold winds outside froze them solid. The figure stood a few inches shorter than him, it's even breaths pulsing down his back as he fought, writhing free only to feel more constraints on his lungs, before giving in to his attacker.

Dominic sighed before relaxing his hand, grunting out a simple request. "Hello. Can you let go now?"

"Maybe," she muttered softly, as if trying to decide whether or not she wanted to while flexing her arms, releasing a giving tension to his torso, forcing Dominic to feel nauseous throughout the horrid ordeal.

"Seriously Molly," Dominic growled as he turned to look at her, only seeing a vague glimpse of her bleached hair while a sharp pain made its way up his shoulder and into his twisted neck. "It kind of hurts."

She let out a sarcastic sigh, "Fine then, you wuss." She jerked on his hand one more time before letting go, a smirk playing across her face as he winced and glared at her, her figure clearing up as he stared, yet her body still swaying in his blurred vision as he grasped the counter for support.

"Where are the others?" He muttered, rubbing his shoulder, numbing pain swelling in his arms as he gazed at her.

"No idea." She sighed, her body language shifting from smug to relaxed as she placed her hands on the counter adjacent to the back door, hoisting herself up. "I left last night after we went into Crawford. I came back about twenty minutes ago, and they were all gone."

"Y- you guys went into Crawford?" Dominic gasped as his eyes shot open wide, completely ignoring everything else she had said.

"Yeah, went in for some stuff for the boat, and some medical supplies for you and that one guy, Omid right?" She shook her hand, as if waving the question off. "Anyway, like I said. I came back this morning, and they're all gone, along with the boat."

"I doubt they'd just leave me here," Dominic sighed, leaning against the counter. Molly's figure had stopped swaying, and her voice was no longer a beating drum to his mind, but a gentle tap, scraping his mind into insanity with every beat. "Something must've happened."

"I wouldn't be so sure there, kid," she interrupted, crossing her arms as she leaned against the cabinet doors. "That Kenny guy was ready to kick you out of the group the moment he found out about your time travel… thing." Molly scratched her head as she muttered the words, her nerves uneasy as she became the bearer of bad news.

"Whoa, wait… they know?!" He stuttered. His heart began to pump to the dreadful beat that filled his eardrums; his blood thinning with each pump.

"Yeah, Lee had to tell 'em after you tried to attack Vernon."

"Oh, so this is suddenly _my_ fault…" Dominic sneered, crossing his arms as he thought it over. "I'm guessing he blames me for his family's deaths, then? _Great_."

"The way you two kept fighting when we first met, can't say I'm surprised." She seemed to chuckle as she spoke, a flashback of Kenny and Dominic shouting at each other replaying in her mind.

"I still don't think they would've left me… Lee wouldn't do that. It must've been…" His voice trailed off as his thinning blood ran cold, as if his heart finally stopped.

"What?"

"The fucking Stranger." He seethed.

"What? That guy on the radio Lee mentioned?" She questioned, her eyebrows raising as Dominic's face mixed from grey to a cherry red.

"I'm too late. _Fuck_ , he's got her." He hissed, his skin turning hot as the thoughts rushed through his debilitated mind.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" She glared at him, narrowing her eyes as confusion played in the back of her mind.

"He's got Clem… that's why they left, they're trying to get Clementine back!"

"...Fuck." She sighed, laying her head in the palm of her hand.

"And they're not going to be able to find her because the Stranger knows that I know about him. He's going to do everything he can to hide from me." He whispered, the pieces to the puzzle slowly positioning themselves into the dreaded picture that would come to be.

"Well, where did he take her last time?"

"The Marsh House, some hotel downtown. But I doubt he'd stay there now, not anymore, knowing that I'd know where to find him."

The kitchen dove into silence, the two standing in two separate worlds. Molly leaned against the cabinets, staring into Dominic, trying to contemplate his thoughts as the boy, begrudgingly, stared off into insanity. All was lost. The Stranger knew about Dominic, and that thought alone made his heart stop as he _knew_ he had failed. The Stranger could be anywhere, with Clementine in his grasp. Dominic felt, for the first time since he's arrived in this wretched Walking Dead universe, powerless. He felt mortality seeping through his skin for the first time since he'd been there, as if his foreknowledge had been armor, and now it was stripped away from him along with his former life. Shivers crushed his spine as he collapsed against the mighty counter, his breathing escalating to that similar to a panic attack, with no way to calm his thoughts down. His emotions surged, everything on the bridge as anger and fear mixed into one as they corrupted his head, and his heart.

"...but what if he wants you to find him?" Molly offered, forcing Dominic out of the storm brewing in his mind. He glared at her in response, as if she was grasping at microscopic straws.

"What?" He scoffed, back in reality. "Why would he _want_ me to find him? He's done nothing but spite me since he found out about me. I doubt he'd want me to find him now."

"Well, look at you, you can barely stand. Frankly, you're not much of a threat to him." She shrugged at her own words, forcing Dominic to look inside himself; she was right. Even now, his shoulder shocked him nearly unconscious with every movement, and his brain felt as if it was in a permanent brain freeze since he'd woken up from that… _dream_.

"Fuck you," Dominic growled, half-serious, sighing with disappointment as he glanced towards the ground.

"Seriously. It's worth a shot isn't it?" Molly shrugged. "I mean, it _is_ the only lead we have to work with right now anyway."

"I guess so," Dominic muttered, pushing himself off the side of the countertop before losing his balance again, nearly falling into the counter ahead of him before Molly grabbed him.

"Seriously, stop falling. I can't carry you all the way there."

"I'll work on it."

"Good."

* * *

The bell tower hung intimidatingly overhead as the group scavenged the streets below. Echoes rang through the gravel and around every corner, every soul praying for a response: a sense that would never return to them. Cars lotted the road, time easily seen on the metal, the paint peeling and the corpse of what used to be, barren for all to see. The buildings stood, defenseless to time's cruel craftwork. Many of the structures had all but fallen, the wood barricading the doors and windows a deepened grey, with some splinting and breaking apart. As they passed, Lee dreamed of a shrill voice breaking out over the deafening silence, and spotting a little girl popping out of one of the broken cars, a good lecture spilling out over one of them breaking down to dust with her inside.

Placid dust filled their lungs as they coughed, Omid nearly tripping over his own legs as they covered the perimeters along another deserted street. The sun stood dead center overhead, bringing its steady rays over them, a generous heat source as the wind picked up, blowing debris and more dust in the air. Christa held onto her lover, guiding him as they hobbled down another alleyway, screaming her name with barely any hope she would turn up. Lee tore through the road, kicking in every door he saw, bellowing out for the child, his breathing heavy as tears battled his eyes. Silently, he asked for forgiveness for any wrongs he'd done to her, asking why she would do such a horrendous act. Kenny followed suit, more calmly, as he traveled the upstairs rooms, searching in silence for, hopefully, a little one nervous of all the racket.

With another house cleared, Lee rushed out of the building, and on to the next one, Kenny walking silently behind him. Lee met another door, only an obstacle in his mind as his fingers turned to claws, tearing away every fabric until nuts and bolts were all that were left on the door. He brought his knee up, ready to strike, only his little girl in mind as he lunged forward, wooden splinters flying past and a darkened room standing before him. With a final breath, he began a new search and rescue.

" _Are you… get yourself killed?"_

A voice echoed behind him. _Clementine._ He spun around, shoving a blackened figure out of his way as he ran through the road, nearly running over what brought him there as a bright light blinded his vision. Carley stood before him, eyes wide as she backed away, her friend now a deranged maniac out for blood. She took a deep breath, about to speak when a southern voice interrupted her.

" **THE SAM HECK WAS THAT FOR, ASSHOLE?!** " Kenny blared at Lee, wiping the dirt off of his face. A nice cut etched Kenny's cheek, specks of blood popping out of the mess.

"Fuck, I-I'm sorry Kenny. I just panicked…" Lee huffed, drawing in short spurts of breath as his knees gave him a shock, cursing him for the violent uproar he's given them. He glanced up, staring at the angry southern man in front of him, arms crossed, and ready to pack a blow of hot revenge.

"Panicked? Fuck sake Lee, get yourself together, we're not going to find her if you're kickin' down every fuckin' door on the block!"

"Oh, so now **I'm** getting anger management lectures from the man that blows up if someone even bats an eye at him? You're a goddamn hypocrite, Kenny." Lee spat, now staring at his friend.

Kenny growled, clenching his fists as he hissed out, "I don't know why the fuck I agreed to come with y'all."

" **GUYS, KNOCK IT OFF!** " Carley shouted, stepping in between the two children and pushing them back into their respective corners as she mouthed off. "If you _dumbasses_ keep doing this we'll have **EVERY** walker in Savannah riding our asses, so quit it!" Carley's face burned red as she stared between the two men, turning towards Lee for the first bullet. "Kenny's right, busting through every **FUCKING** door isn't doing anything but hurting _you_ , and causing _way_ too much noise. Also, it's wasting very _valuable fucking time_." She turned around, reloading as she drew another breath, getting more heated as Kenny's obvious smile sunk into a shocked frown of _oh shit._ "Kenny, Lee is worried sick, _just_ like the rest of us, so don't be surprised if he lashes out, or any of us. You've definitely had your fair shares of becoming fucking psycho, so give him a goddamn break!" She finished, taking uneven breaths as her reddened skin sank back into its normal pale, white creme color. The trio turned to see Omid and Christa hobbling towards them, a saddened look etched across their faces.

"Hey, we couldn't find anyth- What happened?" Christa started, stopping abruptly as she saw the altercation she just missed ending before her. Omid glanced about, giving uneasy looks at Christa as they took a nervous step back.

"Nothing, right guys?" Carley shot back at the two men, who glared at each other before shrugging, silent _hmphs_ echoing between the group.

Christa let out a soft sigh. "Well, let's get moving then, we've got a lot of ground to-"

The street fell into a deathly silence as the radio attached to Lee's belt roared to life, crackling and hisses filling the air before a squeaky voice called out from the other side.

" _Lee?_ "

Lee gasped, shaking as he reached for the radio, dropping it as he clasped his hands around the piece of metal transmitter. He bent down and snatched it up, nearly screaming into the walkie. "Clementine! Are you alright?! Where are you?!"

Silence became his only response. Lee pressed down the transmit button again, directing his next message to the Stranger. "You son of a bitch." He seethed, his tone that of a calm madman.

" _Hello, Lee._ " The voice breathed.

"Where have you taken her?!" Lee shouted again, his patience gone for these games.

" _You should really watch your tone. Clementine's fine. But if I were you, I'd choose my next words_ _ **VERY**_ _carefully._ " The man warned, threats echoing out of the tiny speakers.

Lee paused, his shoulders arching as hope drifted away to another world, out of reach for anyone in this apocalypse: far away from Lee. The Stranger had Clementine, and could easily kill her with his bare hands if he wished to. He was _**going**_ to kill her; it was only a matter of time. Dominic was out cold, with no signs of him coming back, might as well declare the kid in a coma for how things were turning out. Lee gripped the radio, tears streaming down his face as he brought the cursed object to his lips, praying to whatever God existed as he uttered his final words.

"Please don't hurt her."

" _Hurt her? I'm not the one who hurts people._ " The Stranger stated, pausing briefly as Lee's eyes grew wider." _There's an ocean of dead between you and me and her, and if I can thank God for anything anymore, it's that._ "

With that, the Stranger was gone, and they were no closer to finding her than they had been two minutes ago.

"'An ocean of dead.'" Omid quoted. "Shit guys, I think we need to move."

The group turned in unison, Lee dropping the radio as the sight burned his eyes. Walkers flooded the streets, tens, hundreds, possibly thousands turning around every corner. A piano bass turned into a mezzo forte of terror as the moans grew louder. Each walking bone of rotten flesh yearned for blood, and they had plenty to feast on before them. They stumbled toward them, getting closer with every second. A wretched smell punishing the group's noses as they stared, frozen as a shock ripped through their bodies, the forgotten hope being replaced by a cold fate of everlasting death.

"I think they heard you..." Carley whispered towards Lee as she grabbed his hand, giving the man barely any time to retrieve the fallen radio, and started running, tearing down the street in the opposite direction. The rest of the group eagerly followed suit.

" **BACK TO THE HOUSE!** " Kenny yelped, gripping his pistol and removing it from his pocket, shooting randomly into the crowd of walkers, watching through miniscule glances as a few lucky bastards fell face first into the concrete. Kenny gagged as the rest stomped over the fallen corpses, blood and guts flowing onto the streets and some bits sticking to the feet of their partners.

The group rushed through the streets, lines of buildings and structures passing them by as they escaped the madness behind them. Blood pumping, the group synced into a frenzy of huffing and puffing as the sounds of walkers muted, the snarling growls growing quieter within their frantic rush.

"Wait!" Christa shouted, setting Omid down as she collapsed against a nearby dumpster, massaging her legs as she struggled to catch her breath.

"I can- I… I can't do this." She heaved, looking up at the group, her eyes turning red as she gazed at the bewildered faces staring at her.

" **WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"** Lee shouted, glancing around as the sounds of walkers grew louder, sending his heart out of control from exercising to fueling panic.

"She's exhausted, Lee!" Omid shouted back, his face enraged with blood-driven anger. "Give her a break!"

"They're **RIGHT** behind us!" Lee shrieked, turning around to see a walker stumble into the alleyway behind them. He stared in horror at the walker as it stared back at him, clasping its jaw open and shut like a manic animal. The flesh flaked off the teen-sized abomination; his legs were rotten to the bones, with thin slices of meat hanging from his belly. His organs were long gone, all that remained was a gaping crimson hole above his legs, his stomach hanging out, squelching with every step as his last meal sloshed around inside of the sac. The skin within his rib cage collapsed in on itself, leaving what was left a ghastly figure even the scariest nightmares couldn't conjure. A maggot slithered around his arm, removing more and more flesh as it crawled, finalizing the abomination's ghastliness, forcing Lee to swing around and gag.

"I'll take care of this." Carley spoke, annoyance seething through her voice, sending Lee to look away from Hell and at Heaven. She marched over to Omid, picking him up by the shoulders in a rapid fire motion.

"Can you walk?" She fired, glaring at Christa, a look of panic oozing out of her eyes like blood.

"I-I think so." She stammered, picking herself up, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"Ready?" Carley fired again, gazing at Omid. He shook his head, fearing her reaction if he said anything but yes. She glanced around at everyone, who stood staring in shock at her sudden, and remarkable leadership. Everyone nodded, turning away, avoiding her eyes as they started forward, leaving the deafening noise of walkers behind.

" **SHIT, MORE OF THEM!** " Kenny shrieked, seeing a horde of walkers coming through the alleyway in almost a single file line, nearly running each other over through the right path to escape into the floodable road.

Everyone turned to look before running for their lives. Carley and Omid hung back, hobbling forward as everyone turned a final corner; what lay ahead sent a painful lump soaring into Lee's throat.

"Not this shit again." He hissed, jumping onto hope as he turned around, more walkers coming from the opposite direction. He stared, the two buildings now like skyscrapers to him, brick by brick of escalating madness consumed into chunks of intimidating metal. He looked to his left, a fire escape platform just above his head, but higher than he needed it be. Glancing around, he noticed everyone staring at him, their eyes closing in on him as he subconsciously forgot how to breath. He stumbled against the wall, letting everyone pass as if he blocked their way to escape, and he was meant perish.

"We'll help you up!" Carley shouted, her dominating voice echoing over the group as if it was a command, sending the rest of them to stare, waiting for her next words. Carley set Omid down next to Lee before looking at him, determination dead set in her eyes. _Shit_ , Lee thought as he met her stare, his heart racing as they met. For a brief, small second, he had the undeniable urge to embrace her, holding her as the world would disappear around them, leaving nothing but the two. He smiled at the thought, with Carley returning the favor, her eyes leaving him without question that she was thinking the same thing. "Let's move!" Carley shouted again, turning away from Lee and climbing with ease onto the fire escape platform. Kenny lunged next, grabbing the rails as he hoisted himself up, turning around to help his fallen brother.

"Gimme your hand," He said, reaching out his arm. Lee stumbled forward, forcing his shaking legs to move as he jumped, clasping onto the Floridian's hand as Carley grabbed the other. The duo pulled, bringing Lee successfully onto the platform. They turned around, watching as the walkers closed in on the lovers below.

"Quick, get up here!" Lee shouted, throwing his hand toward Christa. She jumped immediately, and grabbed onto him like a lifeline, Carley helping him pull her up. Christa spun around, reaching for her boyfriend as Lee jumped in.

Omid stood up, wincing as he jumped, reaching out for their hands as the world seemed to slow around him. He screamed as he grasped Christa's hand, his leg burning, as if he pulled what had been healed back out of place within one jump. Lee snatched Omid, both of them pulling him up.

" **HURRY!** " Kenny shouted, but it was too late. Omid screamed, pain engulfing his good leg as he glanced down, a walker clinging to his feet. The walker's broken fingers wrapped around his leg, pulling him down as Lee and Christa pulled him up, a fiery pain burning through him as his body struggled to decide which direction to go.

" **HELP ME!** " Omid screamed, staring into his true love, as if it would be the last time he would see her face.

"Get over yourself." Christa muttered. She and Lee pulled, bringing Omid and the walker almost over the railing. With one swift kick from his free leg, Omid knocked the walker onto the ground, screaming in agony as excruciating pain shot up his body, his leg going limp as it dangled in midair.

" **FUCK!** " He screamed out as Lee and Christa hoisted him up, wrapping their arms around him as they stomped forward, Omid dragging his foot behind them.

"Fuck, let's get out of here." Lee breathed.

* * *

The tower hung overhead, casting shadows across the empty street as Dominic and Molly followed the road. Molly stepped with confidence, listening proudly as her boots scathed the earth beneath her, while Dominic limped alongside her, staring off into the distance as he tried to ignore the silent rumbles coming from his belly. The city remained unmoved, much to Dominic's surprise, as they approached the intersection they first encountered the herd of walkers upon entering the cursed city. The air seemed subdued, as if the world waited with bated breath for the end to come. A wretched smell permeated the air, the stench of rotten flesh poisoning as the two sniffed in disgust. It was like being in the eye of the storm, the world fading away as the threat surrounded them, their distant moans the only indication they even existed.

Dominic let out an annoyed groan as he clutched his stomach. "Man, I could _really_ go for a pizza right now."

Molly turned to glare at him, her voice dripping in sarcasm as she spoke. "Really? We're looking for a little girl in a city crawling with geeks, and you want a _**pizza**_?"

"Dude, I'm fucking hungry," Dominic shot back. "I don't even know when the last time I ate was."

"Ugh, here." She scavenged through her backpack until her fingers gripped something. She reached out, pulling a can of beans out of the bag and shoved them into his hands.

"Uh, thanks, but... I don't have a can opener..." Dominic muttered, staring at the can of delicious grub in defeat.

"That's the point, jackass."

"Hmmph." He huffed as he pulled out his knife, trying to keep up with Molly as he cut into the can's top, slicing the thin aluminum like butter. As he peeled the top away the heavenly stench of beans wafted into the air, sending a warm chill down his spine. Dominic dug into the treats inside, squeezing out a tiny whimper as his can became lighter by the second. Molly suddenly placed a hand against his shoulder, stopping them in their tracks. "What?" He muttered, stuffing another handful of beans into his mouth.

"Hear that?" She asked, her eyes scanning their surroundings.

"Hear what? You being a bi-?" She punched him, a few munched beans flying away as he fell backwards, swinging his free hand towards the ground, barely catching himself. He struggled, pushing himself up before Molly grabbed his wrist, swinging him forward.

" _Listen!_ " She hissed, her eyes telling him her next move wouldn't be with her hands. Grasping his sense of balance, he did as he was told, the noise becoming apparent.

Someone was screaming, a bloodcurdling scream echoing through the city, piercing the skies.

"That sounds like…" Dominic started.

"Who else could it be?" Molly retorted.

"Fuck, they could be in trouble. Let's move!" Dominic instructed, limping towards the voice.

"Wait!" Molly hissed, gripping him by the shoulder, pulling him backwards, nearly sending him falling on his ass.

"What?" He countered, scowling at her hand like it was an act of betrayal. "Let's _go_."

"This could be our chance to _go_." She said, looking quickly towards the screaming, the sign dead set in her eyes as the palm of her hand pulled tighter on his shoulder. Dominic grabbed her hand and pushed it away from him, making his feet falter as he swayed, light headed.

" _Go_?! Molly, if that's Lee and the others, we **have** to go help them!" Dominic growled.

"You hear how far away that scream was? By the time we got there, there'd be **NOTHING** left to save! I didn't come back for you to just get yourself killed!" She shouted. The two stood at great odds, their eyes locked onto each other, anger devouring their bodies until nothing else existed.

"You left?" Dominic muttered, as if he heard her wrong. He knew that in the game, she had left, but since she was there at the house with him, he assumed he'd changed that; she stayed with him, protecting his body while the others looked for Clementine. This was apparently not the case, and all a lie.

Molly scoffed. "I told you at the house, remember?" She sighed before continuing, much quiter than before. "You didn't have to watch as the group crumbled around you; I did." She let out a soft sigh as she prepared her next statement. "You didn't see what happened in Crawford. How everyone worried about Kenny _**murdering**_ you. You didn't see Ben and Chuck torn to _**shreds**_ while we tried to escape that hellhole! The group was _done_ , Dominic! I didn't want to stick around for the bitter end."

His voice faltered, raspy breaths echoing from his lips as he stepped away from her, grasping whatever solid object he could to keep him above ground. He blinked rapidly, watching in horror as the environment he stood in started shaking, his pulse injected with adrenaline as his heartbeat filled his eardrums. His esophagus enclosed itself, choking Dominic while he screeched out his next phrase, batting the tears away.

"T-they're dead?" He swallowed hard, gulping down his final sorrows for them, along with the memories they made; he took it as a final farewell from this ungrateful Hell.

He sniffed, muffled whimpers escaping his lips as the tears streamed down his face. He did everything he could to protect the group. He tried **so hard** to keep people alive, _everyone_. Now Ben and Chuck were dead. Everything he was fighting for was falling apart right in front of him, with nothing left to save. Dominic's face flushed red as he stomped towards a nearby car, the past few months whirling through his brain as every death, gunshot, and scream echoed; his mind now a madhouse, leaving him inside the cells with the patients. He stared into his reflection, unable to focus on his face… the _monster_ he was becoming. With one final shove, he attempted to smash the disgrace with one blow.

" **OWW! FUCK!"** Dominic howled, shaking his wrist vigorously as he examined the wound; nothing but a tiny scratch where his knuckle collided with the glass. He looked once more into the reflection, Satan still staring back at him.

"Maybe you shouldn't of punched a window then, you fucking idiot," Molly shot at him.

"Fuck you," He growled as he set the can of beans down and nursed his bruised knuckles, cursing with every breath. He wiped away the tears before turning back to Molly, fighting to maintain his composure as he croaked out. "So, you came back for what? For me? How _flattering_."

"You don't get it." She retorted, disappointment beaming through her eyes. "You're the only one that matters. You know what's going to happen. If we're going to survive, I'm going to need you, even if half the time I just want to smash your face into the road."

"Charming," he mumbled, picking the can up again as he limped back to her. "But this is _Lee_ we're talking about. Carley, Omid, Christa. Everyone. Even _Kenny_. I can't just let them all die."

"We can't just go marching in to save the day either, there's gotta be _thousands_ of geeks swarming in on that scream, Dom. It's _suicide._ " She stared at him, praying he was getting the message. "I'm done with that group. Right now all that matters is finding Clementine and getting the fuck out of here."

He glared at her for a minute, thinking it over as the moans of walkers pierced the air in the distance. They were drawing closer with each passing second, attracted by the scream coming from the riverside. He sighed, ready to admit defeat, mumbling his next words as if they were his ultimate betrayal. "Damn it. Fine. Let's go."

Molly and Dominic hovered over the city streets, taking in the terrifying scene surrounding them; broken windows littered the buildings, destroyed offices and apartment rooms alike seen through the shattered mess across from their tiny foothold on the scaffold of their building. The sky held a greyish hue above them, casting ominous shadows on the city of Hell below, warning of darkness's imminent arrival. The air smelt of familiar rotting flesh, worst with every step the duo made closer to the edge.

"I don't know about this one, Dom." Molly muttered as they stared straight ahead, the metal sign hanging between the crosswalk of the very familiar street. Dominic stared at the rusted sign like a signal of great historical value, his eyes beaming as a shimmer of light reflected off the displaying Maccabe Imports sign. He inched closer, examining the structure as he saw himself crossing it, remembering Lee's journey that seemed not so long ago.

Dominic stepped forward, placing one foot on the metal bridge, ominous creaking shrieked through the streets as he jumped back onto the ledge, not daring to look into the sea of walkers below.

"Right now, we've got no other choice." Dominic breathed, scratching the back of his neck, perspiration ensuing as his heart fluttered, a tempo crescendoing into the horrific chorus. "W- we get across, and on the other side is the Marsh House. If we take it slow, go one at a time, it should support our weight." He stammered, taking a deep breath as he stared at Molly, her back facing him.

"This is _insane_ ," she whispered under her breath, the church flashing before her eyes. _Just like before_. "Okay, fuck, I'll go first." She hissed, stepping forward towards the dark abyss.

He nodded, letting out a simple "see you on the other side" before watching her hop down onto the beam, quickly lowering her feet to the bottom rung to support her shuffle across. She bent her knees, shuffling across the array of metal as she squinted towards her goal. The rusted, icey metal scratched her pants as she moved, feeling tiny hisses of freezing metal press against her skin as little tears appeared in her pants. She continued, keeping her arm balanced as she held it close to Hilda, mentally preparing for a fight or flight survival mission if anything were to screw up. Halfway down the beam, she slid her hand on the metal sign holding the words in place, grazing the rough edges with her fingers while she took a deep breath, choking.

"That… _stench_!" She hissed, gasping for clean air, finding nothing as she forced her throat to adapt immediately. She took small gulps of the poisonous air as she shuffled the final stretch of metal, the moans of the walkers becoming nearly unbearable as she reached for Hilda, whipping it out and latching onto the ledge of the next building, swinging herself around and onto the roof in one swift motion. She turned around, staring at the younger boy on the opposite side of the street.

"Come on!" She hollered at the boy, bouncing on her heels as she stared, waiting for him to cross so they could get the fuck out of there. _I'm tired of these fucking geeks!_

Dominic took a long, stuttering breath as he took the last step on the edge of the building. _Don't look down._ He lowered his foot, feeling for the metallic rope as it hovered in midair, causing him to lunge forward onto his tightrope. _Fuck._ He picked up his head, staring at the metallic plate, marking his checkpoint as he started to shuffle. With his right hand free, and his left holding his beans, he held them close, letting them go only an inch to balance as he crossed the metal rope to safety. _You're not Lee, it's alright._ He thought, clinging his eyes to the metallic board as he stepped forward, only a few feet away.

A rumbling noise echoed around the square as the metal started to creak. With his heart racing, he shuffled faster, only realizing the horrible noise below him. The walkers moaned, screamed, and wailed, the asylum in his head minutes earlier now coming to life right under his feet. With a quick glance, he looked at the horde below him, a gag-inducing smell filling his nostrils as he witnessed the devilish sight. Possibly hundreds of walkers filled the street, slowly moving up the road. Men, women, and children of all ages crowded together as they screamed. Blood covered every one of them. Some seemed to be missing legs, crawling under the gaps of other walkers, while some had missing arms, their balance off key as they stumbled into others. Dominic stumbled as he almost fell against the metal board, gripping it tightly as he stared into the abyss of lost souls. He stared, hypnotized, as his mouth lay agape to the horrific monsters he had been slaying.

"Oh man, we're so fucking screwed..." Dominic huffed as he turned away from the sick streets, staring only at Molly; checkpoint number two. He took a step, his legs shaking as he struggled to balance himself on the creaking metal tightrope. _Half...way….there._ He shuffled along the rope, taking shorts gasps of breath as the mixture of bile and beans filled his mouth.

A pattern emerged as he made his way across the sign, until he heard a deafening snap. He glanced ahead, seeing the bolts scatter onto the streets below him as Molly soared higher and higher, the ledge going quicker and severely out of reach. Dominic slipped as he fell towards the street, writhing his arms until his right hand grasped a railing of rusted metal. He dangled in midair as he looked onto the desert below, the can and the brown grub that sat within it splattering onto the concrete.

" **NO, MY BEANS!** " He shouted, looking down at his delicious treats littered in the blood of passerby walkers.

"You alright?!" He heard over the screaming demons surrounding him only feet away.

"Yeah, I'm fine! Peachy!" He shouted back, looking around at the ground below him. The walkers were turning around, the noise from the destruction piquing their attention. A small hole of space stood below Dominic, but was quickly shrinking with every second.

Dominic took a few deep breaths, his brain shooting adrenaline throughout his body as he gripped the metal for dear life. "Fuck, Molly! Get out of here! I'm gonna get Clem and meet you outside of town!"

"You're fucking crazy! There's a thousand of them heading right toward you!" She shouted, watching Dominic from above. The geeks moaned with a new synchronization of curiosity as they stumbled towards Dominic, the thin escape away getting smaller with every inch. _He must've known about this._

"No time to argue! Go!" He shouted, letting go of what remained of the metal sign and crashing to the tiled street below, gasping as pain and the shock from the fall spread throughout his body like a virus. Quickly getting to his feet, he clambered over the remains of the sign, smashing the letters as he struggled until he grabbed the board, putting it between him and the walkers closing in on him. He stumbled away from the wreckage towards the next street over, forcing his breaths to cooperate as he took single steps, managing to remove himself from the thin line that was the street and on his way into the intersection. He glanced up, Molly nowhere to be seen. He looked back, the walkers getting closer. Dominic watched in horror as they crawled over the wreckage, the remaining flesh on a dozen walker legs falling from their bodies in thick chunks and slices, the blood held poured lavishly onto the street. _Oh my God…_

Dominic turned to leave the wreckage, the horde following him like a pack of hungry wolves. He left the sign upright as he tore for the next street, only to see another walker limping around the corner, the sounds of snapping metal attracting it like a moth to a flame.

He leaned against the building as he stumbled towards the chaos, wearing nothing but rags and a grey, dirty beanie. The beard he bore was full of dirt, trash, and insects swarming as he smiled at Dominic, bearing only a couple of teeth. Taking out his knife, Dominic marched forward and kicked the back of the walker's knee as hard as he could, sending it toppling to the ground, then slammed the blade into its rotting forehead. The body shivered as crimson fluid drained from his forehead and onto the rest of its corpse, dripping to the cement below. Dominic shook violently as adrenaline pumped through his veins, hardly having time to register the moans of more walkers coming from all sides. He looked around, noticing this wasn't the only street engulfed by the walker frenzy, but _**all**_ of them; he was surrounded. Dominic gulped the bile reaching his throat as he stared down at the dead walker, the now empty eyes staring back at him. Finally, he realized what had to be done.

"This… is the worst fucking day… I've ever had," he breathed as he knelt down, blade shaking as he stabbed the walker's corpse in the chest, more blood spewing from the body. Dominic closed his eyes as he slid his knife down the chest of the walker, sinking it deeper with every inch until he came to the pelvic bone. Dominic opened his eyes as he raised his knife, dark crimson blood dripping from his blade, a small fragment of flesh hanging out of his cut. His skin turned pale as he set his knife beside the bleeding corpse. He took a deep breath, small chuckles of heaving gasps escaping him as he reached into the cut. His fingers felt warm as he engrossed his clothes in blood, smearing the crimson fluid all over his shirt and pants, small bits dripping from his beard. Dominic reached in deeper, feeling the slimy surface of organs as he felt a tiny tube like matter blocking his fingers.

 _I'm… so… sorry…_ Dominic pinched the slime tube, more blood erupting from the body, all of its clothes now stained a permanent red. He lathered the final traces of his face with the warm liquid before gripping the flesh sticking out of the cut, and pulling. A thick streak of flesh erupted from the body, slithering onto the ground. _Intestine…_ Dominic grabbed the chunk of meat, and while gagging horribly, wrapped it around his neck.

The moans were closing in around him as he turned around, the walkers getting closer with every second, only a select few a mere couple yards away. Picking up his knife, he wiped the blade on the concrete, ridding enough of the blood to replace it back into its rightful home. _Hope to God this works._ He marched, ready to face the herd standing in between him and Clementine.


	16. SEASON 1 FINALE: Die, I

**A/N: This is, once again, a Rated M chapter, so be prepared!** **I want to thank every one of you for supporting this story, I know I say this a lot, but I wouldn't be here without you guys! Now, on to the story!**

* * *

 **Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 16: Die, I (Season 1 Finale, Part 1)**

* * *

The group ran, sprinting into the alleyway as fast as their legs could carry them. Their blood pumped loudly in their eardrums as the house came in sight.

Lee led the pack, the group all zeroing in on the shed as the pathway became a blur. Lee huffed as his footsteps pierced his ears, each stride a thundering stomp as they approached the fence. Carley held tight to his side, Kenny racing behind them, pistol in hand, covering Christa and Omid, who hung back. Omid's pained groans echoed down the road. Carley slowed to a walk as a walker came into view up ahead, only slowing down to watch a bullet pierce its brain. Her eyes grew wide as the walker slumped to the floor, turning to see Lee's gun smoking as he stuffed it into his pocket. Its head oozed crimson blood as Lee ran past it with indifference, while Carley merely tiptoed around it, as if it would suddenly reanimate and claw at her leg. Behind her, Kenny clicked the hammer down on his pistol, ready for the next being, alive or dead, to stumble upon them. Omid screamed out in agony as Christa held him upright, chasing the daring trio ahead of them while Omid's legs feebly dragged behind.

Only feet away from the garage, Lee stopped beside the fence, closing his eyes as he caught his breath, the image of Clementine burning the inside of his eyelids. As he blinked away her face from his mind, tears threatened to break through, his legs weakening to eroded beams, breaking the very base of who he was. He stood, tears streaming as her face etched it's way back into his mind; her being the daughter he never had.

In only three months, he found himself attached to this little girl he would have never met before the Apocalypse. At some unknown point she ceased to be a stranger he was taking care of, and became what felt like a loving daughter. Before everything went to shit, he didn't have the chance to become a father; his wife mentioned the thought from time to time, but the thoughts ceased before they could dwell, blowing away like a breeze of wind. He was too busy teaching students, he'd tell himself. Now, everything was different. In a world so devoid of life, so devoid of _humanity_ , that relationship he forged with Clementine became an anchor to sanity; a beacon of hope in the darkness. Without it, he would crash into the craggy shoreline, running aground as all hope faded away within him. He couldn't lose that. He wouldn't.

He stood up, relaxing as the cool metal of the fence sent a shiver down his spine. The adrenaline passed through his veins like a car speeding down a highway. Carley and the crew became a mere fog as he rushed around the perimeter, the green shed drawing nearer and nearer as the rest of the group hurried to keep up.

"We need a new plan." Carley shouted over Lee's thundering footsteps; she looked behind her, each remaining survivor heaving with exhaustion as they tried to catch their breaths. Her words seemed to settle in the air, echoing through the silence that reigned over them after the herd of walkers that chased them across town barely a few minutes earlier drifted away in the maze they used to call a city.

"Right now, we need a goddamned miracle." Kenny muttered, pocketing his pistol while staring at the shed, faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. Months of dust and abandonment settled on top of the shingle roof, creating a creepy image of abandonment that synchronized with the group's low spirits. The theme continued on the shed's wooden door, the now rusted metal hinges threatening to break off. Surrounding the coffin, sat rotting planks painted a horrid vomit green, already in the process of being sun-blasted into something even more disgusting. Brown grass sprouted between the cracking cement and the brick fence, aching for a drink as the group marched onward behind the building, a mixture of hope and despair blending into a single thought shared amongst them as the gravel and grass crunched underneath their footsteps.

"She's out there," Lee insisted, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at back at his group.

There were only a few steps left before the door to the shed and the attention was divided among the survivors: Lee and Kenny inched forward, guiding the way as Omid and Christa hurried behind, following their backs to be led inside. Carley, a step behind, glanced around the sides of the alleyway, checking for any signs of movement: nothing. A cool breeze flushed through the alley, bringing the whiff of death from the corpses laying waste to the city. The mixture of metal and rotten flesh forced Carley to gag as she paced towards the shed, ready to get some fresh air, if such a thing existed anymore.

Lee and Kenny huddled against the door, looking back at the rest, Carley giving them a nod of approval before turning to each other; eagerness filled both of their faces, like home was around the corner. Lee placed his hand on the door knob, a sharp chill running up his arm as he twisted. The unbearable creaking echoed through the dark room, sending a chill down his spine as he was engulfed in emptiness.

Lee glanced around the room, now a dark cavern blessed with the shred of light the door brought in, limited with his shadow blocking half the light. Inside, a shelf hung over to the far left, closer to the front door, a mix of gas canisters and oil caps scattered, with the labels eroded beyond comprehension. The shredded pieces of his heart, standing on uneven ground, collapsed as the final sight shattered the pieces in his chest, sending tears falling to the floor. Kenny and the rest of the gang stormed in after Lee's whimpered cries, all aghast as the sight pierced their eyes.

"Holy…" Christa gasped, her eyes widening at the sight: the room was empty; the boat was gone. Her grip on Omid tightening as she took in the room, feeling a pit form in her stomach, as if gravity shifted the weight of her body with each step.

"What the fuck?!" Kenny cursed, kicking the door before placing his hands behind his neck, digging his nails into his skin as the angst poured through his veins. "Come on… just… come the **FUCK** on…!" His eyes bulged red as he screamed; his beloved boat, his _escape_ , gone. Nothing could save him now from their impending deaths. As he stared into the dark room, he could feel the cold fingers of Death crawling up his skin, breaking every ounce of spirit he had left. The twigs of Sanity that he had held onto dearly smashing into fragments as more fingers crawled: Duck, Kat, Clementine. Their boney fingers grabbed at his skin, tearing his heart out of his chest.

"Fuck, it must've been the guy on the radio! He's taken Clem out of the city!" Lee's heart started to pound as thoughts came flying by like dust in the wind. "We're too late…" _No. Fuck. Please, God no…_

He punched the wall in anger, a red image of what could be happening painted on the stained canvas: Clementine glanced behind her, Savannah slipping away out of sight as blue waves took its place. She writhed about, her arms forced to her sides as rope bound her. The sickening taste of tape filled her mouth as she stared at her captor.

Carley seized his arm, snapping him away from the crimson painting and back into reality. "Stop! We don't know that for sure!" She stared at him, his sanity fading as he watched her search for him, trying to break down the walls of anger until she could reach his soul, pulling him of this Hell he found himself in. _Something_ about the way she spoke hit him, revitalizing Lee's hope as they survived this apocalypse, one heartbreaking moment at a time. She made this hell bearable, just enough to keep him going.

"Who else could've taken it?" Lee whispered, a tear squeezing out of his eye before he looked away, trying and failing to keep the next tear from forming.

"I don't know." She mumbled.

"Uh, guys…" Omid mumbled, forcing everyone out of their shocked states and into the cold shed. He held out a piece of paper, muttering to Lee, "You'll want to see this…" He held out the crumpled note to Lee, who read over the words hastily written down.

 _I'm not good at goodbyes, so I'll keep this short. I'm sorry about all this, but I'm taking the boat. After Crawford, I just couldn't stay here anymore. I've never been good at groups anyway. I've always been better alone, especially after Hilda. If it means anything, I think you're all good people, just misguided. I'm sorry about everything. Lee, you take care of that little girl, you know you and Dominic mean the world to her._

 _Molly_

" **THAT** _ **BITCH**_ **!** " Kenny roared, his fists clenched as he turned away from the aging parchment and everything that was holy. He smashed his fists through the wall, the pain a pleasure as his skin met wood. The energy pulsed through his body into one painful jolt as he felt the wood give way. "I knew she'd fucking betray us the _second_ we met her Lee! The fucking _dumb_ _ **BITCH**_!" He looked away from the hole in the wall and into the shocked man's eyes, blood pumping around his iris.

"Her actions, uh, contradict your characterization, but yeah, the 'dumb bitch'," Omid mumbled, scratching the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact with the mad cow in the room as Lee crumpled up the paper.

"I can't believe this," Lee stated, his tone flattened, the anger and sadness fading away as shock took over, "This doesn't sound like Molly."

Christa lowered her head, staring at the ground as she whispered. "After Crawford, I don't know what to think about her anymore."

"This is all Dom's fucking fault," Kenny spat, causing everyone to shoot wide eyed glares in his direction. "He told us to trust that _**bitch**_ and look what she did! He _ **knew**_ this would happen!"

Carley sighed, a bubbling anger filling her stomach as he continued his heat-fueled rant. She marched across the room, her heels echoing between the wooden walls while her fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly. With every stomp of her feet on the cold concrete floor, the boiling rage rose higher. "You don't know that Kenny! It's entirely possible things didn't turn out the way he expected. I mean, look at the way he attacked Vernon! He was probably the one that was supposed to take the boat, not Molly."

"Well, if he _**really**_ cared, he would've stopped both of them," Kenny scoffed, stepping up to the challenge. "If he _is_ some fuckin' time traveler, he could've stopped her from leaving with the boat in the first place!" The challengers stood neck and neck as they argued, each face a boiling red as their voices grew louder. The shed turned into an impromptu debate hall, the candidates screaming at each other as if their very words would shape the future of this nightmarish hell they created.

"He's unconscious Kenny, what was he supposed to do?!" Carley snapped, pressing her face closer to Kenny, staring into his eyes, fighting the Floridian for immediate dominance.

"I don't know, wake up?! Actually do something **right** _for once_?!" He exclaimed, nearly spitting out the last words in her face as he stared down the reporter.

" **THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR THIS!** " Lee roared, drowning out both of their voices. The room died into complete silence, only echoes whispering into their ears as a million eyes rested on the urban man. After what seemed like a millennia full of sideward glances from the crowd, he continued. "I'm gonna hop over the fence and open the door into the backyard…We can't be having this conversation out here in the open." He stepped out of the garage, every footstep like the crushing of a human heart as all eyes fell to the floor.

Lee shook his head as he paced out of the shed, his mind rattling with disappointment at his friends. Every day seemed like two different fights: the main fight for survival and to stay together as a team, which they seemed to be losing. As he crossed the dead patches of grass he noticed his team, once a nice woven piece of art, unraveling and falling apart at the seams. The artwork so majestic and pure, sickened like a disease. The most beautiful aspects of their group turning on each other like starving animals. _Is this what it means to be in an apocalypse?_

He looked up beyond the metal fence and stared into the sky, a single bird flying south just beneath the warm sun. Its wings were outstretched with long, angelic feathers touching the grey sky. He listened as it sang, a wonderful chirp filling the distant horizon as it flew, gliding over the canvas of the November sky. Lee stared in amazement as the bird noticed him, soaring downward and towards the fence. Lee raised his arms, blocking the sun's rays out of his eyes to get a better look at the closing in creature. His face contorted as the wings grew longer, noticing only a few feathers on the otherwise naked bird. As he stared, he saw the bird's face; blood beaten and dead eyed. He stepped back, mortified and heart racing as the glistening white angel that glided over with ease morphed into a burnt demon, chasing him down _Shit._ Lee turned away from the abomination and as he leaped into the air and caught onto the metal fence, he lunged forward, throwing himself over the railing. He turned back and blinked, the bird disappearing from view. _Okay…_ He marched onward towards the house, glancing back every few steps, a single thought coursing through his mind. _Maybe Molly was right all along._

Back in the Shed, Kenny muttered under his breath as he leaned against the wall, his back covering the gaping hole he left as he looked about the room. "This is not happening… everything is _so_ _ **fucked**_ …"

"Clementine is still out there." Christa whispered, yet loud enough to break another boundary, creating a crushing aftershock.

"So we get Clementine, and then what?!" Kenny shot back, his voice a rising tide as he stepped forward, his breathing returning to angst in an instant.

"We get the _**fuck**_ out of cities. I'm **done** with cities. We go into the countryside and make a go of it." Christa spat out, holding her head as her voice added onto the tide, becoming a massive tsunami as they bickered.

"I'm with Christa on this one, Kenny." Carley muttered, her face still warm, but trying not to join in on this fight. She turned around, strutting out of the arena as she sighed, taking her place in the stands with Omid, who now leaned against the planks staring at Kenny as if he was some sort of monster. "This place is crawling with _thousands_ of them, we've got no other choice."

" **NOBODY GIVES A FUCK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK CARLEY!** " Kenny snapped, jabbing a finger in her direction, his face a cherry red.

"Kenny, chill!" Christa shouted, nearly drowning out Omid's cry of "we really should quiet down guys!"

"Do you remember we had a boat?! **A BOAT!** " Kenny threw his hands into the air, anger boiling within him like a raging fire as he stomped about the room, his eyes red with rage as he looked for something to break.

They turned as the door into the backyard broke open, Lee's voice hoarse as he shouted out, " **WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP?! ALL THIS BICKERING IS GETTING US NOWHERE! NOW, IF YOU'RE DONE, GET INSIDE THE HOUSE SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FUCK TO DO NEXT!** "

Everyone stared at him in shock, all eyes darting towards the floor as the group filed out. No one spoke a word, the only sound became the footsteps against the creaking wood. Lee glared, his eyes narrowing as he looked over the group, moving from one to the next as they filed out. Nobody dared to look at Lee. They stared wide-eyed at the patches of grass and dirt instead as they left the building, holding their breaths as if a single world would invoke Lee's wrath again.

As Christa followed behind the rest, she broke the chain, mumbling to Lee. "What do we do without a boat?"

"We'll talk about it inside," he deadpanned, barely opening his lips as his voice shot her, leaving her in the dark with her march.

* * *

The smell became unbearable within the first few steps. Dominic limped through the crowd of walkers, his fingers firmly squeezing his nostrils as he struggled to hold what breath he could. The stench was worse than the blood on his own clothes; carcases with the overwhelming aroma of blood and rot. He could almost taste the iron in the air, the blackened blood oozing out of their hosts wherever he turned, each drip becoming lost in the sea of blood seeping into the ground.

He coughed as he took another step, forcing himself to maintain composure as his body shook like a leaf caught in a tornado. _It's ok…_ Dominic cooed. _They think you're one of them._ It didn't help. He snapped his neck as a deathly pierced his ears. Dominic's eyes bulged as a walker limped right past him, the horrid moaning sound erupting from its mouth like a siren call. More blood oozed as she groaned, making it worse as her throat gurgled with the struggle. The walker stumbled as she moved, nearly running into him and knocking him over as she passed. Dominic stared as the carcass, a lady Dominic guessed by the messy blonde hair and thin frame, kept going. The woman was middle-aged; its long hair falling down past her rotting neck, with dirt and blood matting within the otherwise flowing layers of clothing. Maggots swarmed her face as they crawled over the wrinkles in her forehead. A ripped black jacket hung over her shoulders, a bloody t-shirt resting underneath. This woman seemed to have been built, for her arms were more muscular than the average woman. As Dominic looked on, he noticed a gash around her neck, crimson fluid gushing out and onto the shirt with every nightmarish gurgle she made. He turned away as she forced herself through a few more creatures before running into the wrong walker, a larger walker knocking her onto the concrete. Dominic couldn't dare watch as the others stepped blindly over her, the moaning she made ceasing in an instant.

Dominic continued on down the road, using the roofs of the buildings as markers for where he was headed. He glanced about, looking for any sign of resemblance. Over the shoulder of a tall, possibly teenage girl, he could make out the vanilla cemented building with grey shambles surrounding the top. _I'm on the right track_ , he thought as he pushed through.

He had never felt more claustrophobic in his life than at this moment. The walkers closed in on him every chance they got, all piling around him until he could nudge through a couple more and into a clearer part of the pack. He hurried down the stretch of road, feeling only more surrounded with the gutted organ wrapped around his neck like a thick necklace. It boxed him in, the tiny clot of crimson pink flesh amounting to a ton of weight as he shook with fear. Never had something so warm felt so cold to bear. He cringed as the slimy piece of meat slid around his neck, touching his skin as he shift through the crowd. He let out a soft whimper as his head grew weary, the noise of the undead filling his ears giving him a headache. Moaning, groaning…. screams. _Why would they scream?_ He wondered as he glanced around, more blood and gashes decorating the limbs of gothic canvases surrounding him.

With only a few buildings left, Dominic could see the golden letters displaying " **MARSH HOUSE** " above the sea of walkers. He trudged through, gently nudging walkers out of his way as they growled at him. His legs burned as he moved, his escape so close yet so far away. The thirst for The Stranger's blood felt like a weight on his heart, sinking him deeper and deeper into the inescapable sea of madness. Within the cracks between the walkers, Dominic could see a darkened alleyway near the Marsh House with another small pack of walkers huddling together. With every step, the group became more and more in focus, revealing two familiar monsters.

The man of the couple stumbled around the lot without any purpose, moving about while clinging to his wife. He had a shaved head, with a tiny layer of black hair caressing his scalp. He wore a white polo, stained in random places with dirt and blood. On his left hand he seemed to have been scratched or bitten, the injury itself disguised with infected blood and puss. He walked steadily, tripping every once in awhile from whatever god-forsaken object dragged behind his wife. Dominic could easily tell the woman was the more gruesome of the two. She had been bitten on the neck, the blood pouring in tiny waves down the right side of her body, causing her to make a gurgling croak as she moaned through the city. She had no shirt, just what was left of rags glued to her shoulders and bosom with sweat and blood. Below, there was a gaping hole. Dark, near black liquid dripped as the walker stumbled, a trail of rotten flesh following suit. It seemed there was nothing left inside the woman besides her bones, the only thing keeping her upright. He gagged, noticing all of the fat had been peeled from the inside, leaving her skeleton to bulge around her ribcage. From her fingers up to her shoulder blades were covered with crimson paint, with tiny flakes of skin and flesh missing where walkers had attempted to dig for more.

He gagged, coughing up mucus as Dominic pushed through the final wave, leaving the horde and Clementine's parents behind. He shoved, the fingers of a thousand hands clawing as he broke free of the herd. Finally, he was alone, no abominating creatures pressing against him. Dominic ran, the stairs up to the doors of the Marsh House glimmering like the doors of heaven in front of him. One, two, three steps at a time he climbed the stairs, pushing past the pillars of the Marsh House and ignoring the screaming waves behind him. With one final step before the doors, his knees gave way, and he collapsed to the floor. His shoulder throbbed violently as everything went black.

* * *

Every inch of Dominic's body felt like a million pounds pressed against him as he slowly opened his eyes, the pain crushing him to the concrete as if gravity suddenly shifted. He struggled, lifting his head above ground to see where he was. The crowd was nearly gone now, with only a smaller number of walkers roaming the street. _How long was I out?_ He pondered, seeing it couldn't of been more than a few minutes while he stared out to the empty street, thunder booming in the distance, shaking the earth as he tried to stand up, only to collapse once more. His mind raced at a million miles per second, the conveyer belt of his brain flying off the track as he howled in pain. He had done so much to get to Clementine, yet the adrenaline was fading.

Dominic looked through the haze as he blinked, wiping the drool that set on his lips as the blurred street came into view through the mist. Up above, the skies were covered in ominous clouds, lightning dancing above the city in a rapid fashion. He looked down in the streets, and in the center of Hell, a little girl stood, staring back at him. Dominic inched forward, pulling his own legs like weights as he squirmed to see who was watching him. She wore a blue and white ballcap, smothered in dust and blood. Two pigtails stuck out, one bunched in a tie, the other unwound like a battered patch of hair, several curls covering her face and running down her shoulders. Her shirt hung like rags as the pink t-shirt meshed with the dried blood stains and rips surrounding her body. The sleeves of her shirt were torn, cuts and rotting bruises creeping up from every angle, blood dripping onto the cement below her. She took a step, her right leg dragging behind her. She wore dark blue jeans, torn and soaked in crimson blood. Dominic gasped as he fell back, collapsing with a thud against the glass doors of the Marsh house.

"Clementine?!"He screamed out, tears already on his face. Dominic crawled forward, the ground like needles to his skin as he pulled himself up, begging to whatever god there was that this wasn't real. He struggled to his feet to run to her aid, only to fall on his face, his fingers breaking the fall.

"You left me like this, Dominic…" She whispered, a smooth, yet terrifying tone catching his ears. "You left me in the woods to die, don't you remember?" Her face revealed nothing but tranquility, an unnerving sense of placidity, yet her tone towards him was harsh, accusing. Her eyes, no longer the bright yellow orbs they once were, were grey and dead. She stared into him, as if she could see something else _inside_ him. She limped closer, her hands limp at her sides as she approached the steps, her left leg dragging behind her with sickening thuds.

"I wouldn't do that, Clem! I- I wouldn't..."Dominic wailed, blood, snot, and tears soaking his face, his cries becoming nothing more than a whisper in the coming storm.

"You _left_ me… _all alone_ …. I thought you were supposed to _protect_ me Donnie? Didn't you promise me that?" With every word she said, a black goo dripped from her mouth, staining her clothes and the concrete. The pink-red shirt she wore in rags becoming a smothered black top, blood decorating the canvas in easy, lenient strokes. Every phrase she spat ended in a charge towards him, her words choking in her own mutated suffocation.

" **I-I'M RIGHT HERE, CLEMENTINE! WE'LL BE OKAY!"** He screamed, stumbling over the words as an unknown substance filled his throat, choking him while he scurried away, pressing his back helplessly against the glass door. She kept advancing, the innocent face approaching him faster with every stride, sending his heart deeper and deeper into the chaos within his neck. He choked on every breath he took, forcing the substance deeper into his lungs, only to reveal the iron taste of blood.

"But don't you see? I'm already dead." She stood in front of him, looking down at the inferior man who once cared for her, only to abandon her in her time of need. Clementine pulled her leg from its limp stance and drew up her jeans, a massive cut plastered into her leg. Someone had tried to cut her leg off; the meat hung in slices down to the bone. Infected blood and puss poured onto the ground, dripping from her cut and down from her shoe. Her ankle was swollen, bite marks infected and red, dark crimson dripping down her leg and onto the ground. With every step she took, her leg snapped, the two halves of her bones smashing and rubbing together; obvious evidence that her ankle was shattered.

Dominic started to cry, turning away from Clementine and covering his eyes as guilt filled his heart. _What have I done?_

"It was the Stranger, he followed me into the woods! He broke my leg and left me to the walkers!" She hissed, her voice distorting, turning hoarse as she explained her untimely death. Dominic opened his eyes to see her staring at him, her eyes glowing as blood dripped from the sockets and into the black puddle seeping from her lips. He saw the horror, the dead skin, the sliced leg: _dead Clementine_.

"A walker bit me while I was out there, _**all alone**_ _!_ The only thing left to do was to clean the knife in what was left of my water and to cut the bloody thing off! Too bad, you weren't there Dominic! You could have been my tourniquet! I died quickly from blood loss!" Clementine turned around, displaying a horrible image of mud, dirt, and blood covering her back. Dominic stared through teary eyes, unable to find a back to her ragged shirt: just blood. Dark, infected...blood.

"I-I'm so sorry Clementine… I didn't mean… I didn't…" He sobbed into his hands, his own heart shattering into the pit of his stomach. _I abandoned you._ He thought repeatedly in his head, the weight of his failure pulling on him. _You will pay for this…._ Dominic looked up, closing his eyes as he prepared to meet his fate. If he had failed, he must accept his consequences.

" _I'll never forgive you._ "

He looked around, but Clementine was nowhere to be seen. The blood-soaked little girl he had failed to protect was gone.

"The fuck?" Dominic croaked, the substance in his throat gone as well. Raising himself up, he stayed low, ready for anything to attack him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife, wondering if he was about to have to strike at a walker, a dead Clementine; anything. Out of the corner of his eyes, a walker crawled up the stairs, its legs all but unhinged from the rest of his body. Most of its flesh was gone, but the bones and battered head remained. _Was this…. Clementine?!_

He didn't stay still long enough to find out. With the first new rush of adrenaline, he ran and swung, the knife diving deep into the cranium of the crawling abomination. In one swift motion, Dominic slammed his foot on top of the walker's neck and pulled, breaking its neck and retrieving his knife from the wound. The walker slumped onto the cement, its growling ceasing in an instant. Something sounded from behind him: staggering footsteps. Dominic swung on his heels, slashing his knife into another walker, who seemed ready to enlist him from behind. In another instant, Dominic brought out a left hook, sending the dead one against the glass of the building and giving a loud thud as it collapsed onto the ground. He charged forward, bringing his beloved knife down into the skull of his attacker, the walker left to roam no more.

"Fucking hell…" He huffed, removing his knife from the corpse's head. He looked around, the street now clear, with mere pellets of rain disturbing the otherwise abandoned road. _Am I going insane?_ The little girl was still nowhere to be seen, and he was certainly not going to call out for the tiny walker. Dominic stepped to the edge of the entrance, taking quick glances down the road. From where he came, there was nothing but a few corpses that had been trampled on in the horde, and the ones he may have slayed along the way. On the other end was the horde, slowly drifting away to another street or another town, to terrorize other lives such as his own. With one final breath, he slowly turned back to the Marsh House, half expecting to see her there; nothing. All that was left were the two walkers that must have followed them, and the cracked glass from the ambush.

Dominic stumbled forward, his adrenaline rush wearing off. _Not again._ He forced his legs to move, his strength fading away as his legs quickly became weights, his vision blurring, causing him to stumble awkwardly to the door. His lungs heaved as they grasped for air, their hands clinging to whatever his throat brought them. His own footsteps rang in his ears, a migraine forming quickly as his brain exclaimed for sleep. He stumbled through the door, the dead walker slumping to the floor as he walked in. He shivered as the blood covering his hoodie trickled down his body, feeling cold to the touch rather than the warm, gooey feeling it had when he first applied it. He ignored it as he continued towards a staircase at the end of the hallway.

 _You are going to die, bastard._ He stepped towards the stairs, letting a maniacal laugh burst from within his chest at the thought. _I'm going to finally kill you!_ He laughed, his chest holding nothing back as he shouted to the man upstairs, blood rushing as his fiery rein took over.

"Just wait, Stranger. I'm going to have some fun with you." He whispered, grinning as he pictured the glorious event. His blood boiled at the sight of his faithful knife in the palms of his hand, licking the blade with The Stranger's blood dripping off of the cold steel. He jabbed it into the Stranger's arm, the man's blood-curdling screams music to his ears. The man was tied to a bedpost, every one of his four limbs chained to be cut away. He squirmed, tugging at the ropes as his back rubbed against the naked mattress. The vanilla walls were stained with blood, the mattress quickly becoming its next victim. The Stranger had slashes running down his back, his shirt in blue and red rags as the cuts burned his skin and the color drained from his face.

" _ **STOP, PLEASE! I ONLY DID THIS FOR MY FAMILY!**_ _"_ He would yelp, trying to tug away from Dominic, the ropes binding his legs and wrists cutting the circulation. The Stranger would then glance about, Clementine sitting in the corner, the black eye he had given her glowing under the lamplight of the room.

" _ **IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO MEET YOUR END, ASSHOLE!**_ _"_ Dominic would shout, laughing in pure, satiric glee as his blade met the bone, the sawing ready to begin. _"_ _ **I'LL TEAR YOU AND YOUR FUCKING FAMILY APART!**_ _"_ He would scream, Dominic's laughter interrupting his speech as he sawed away.

" _ **I'M SO SORRY, P-PLEASE LET ME LIVE!**_ _"_ The Stranger would scream, tears welling up in his eyes as the pain would surely knock him out. Dominic smiled as he imagined himself grasping a syringe from the side table next to him, adrenaline shots ready to go. He would stab him in the chest, right above his heart, forcing the man to stay awake for the duration of his 'procedure'. The Stranger would laugh himself to tears, having flashbacks of all the talks they had on the talkies, how he lied and cheated his way to take her.

" _ **YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!**_ _"_ Dominic would blare, giving one swish with his knife as he'd chop the rest of the limb, watching the gore pour out of the worthless man's arm, his crying filling the room as Clementine would stare from afar. _How proud I would be….._

Dominic leaned against the railing of the stairs, a smile etched across his face as he decided _exactly_ how this man's life should end. _You're mine now Stranger_ , he thought as he put one foot in front of the other, tugging himself on the highway to hell. Suddenly, a creaking sound echoed down below near the entrance. Dominic glanced, the door remaining closed, but footsteps were slowly approaching from the side hallway.

"Have you come to play, Stranger?"He guffawed, wheezing as he made his way back down the stairs. He turned the corner, his vision slipping in and out of focus as his heart raced beneath his chest. Dominic glanced, a walker stumbling in from the hallway. _Oh, you bastard_. He was slow on his heels, swaying gently as he reached for his knife, mentally checking himself to clean it off before going for his target. Colliding with the wall, he stumbled as he met the walker, pushing forward as he grasped its shoulders, shoving it towards the floor.

"I'm… going...to...kill...you…" He gasped, out of breath as he lunged for the walker, only to be met with devastating force as the two came to a standstill. Dominic's fingers clung to the walker's shoulders, pushing as hard as his arms could while the abomination resisted, clawing for any skin it could grab. Dominic stared, the walker's eyes gone as two black pits glared back, empty sockets leading to a soul long gone. Its teeth were yellow, flies buzzing inside as the flesh flaked off in random positions, the jawline completely noticeable with a few teeth missing. It wore a red button up shirt, fraying at the ends from overuse with the left side smothered in blood. _It must have been stabbed_ , Dominic thought as he pushed it back, the weight of the walker growing as his feet slid back on the tile floor. He glared at the walker, its breath smelling of death as it hung around his nose, a constant flow of foul odors breaking into his body. With one final shove, Dominic slipped, a shriek echoing from his mouth as the two of them collapsed onto the wooden floor. Without hesitation, the walker climbed on top of him, the weight becoming a rock of unspeakable mass on his chest. Gasping for air, Dominic clung to his faithful knife, dragging his wrists from the cold tile slicing the walker from its stomach to its head. In a sickening display, the walker's insides fell out with a sploosh, covering Dominic head to toe in guts.

He pushed, inch by inch until the corpse slid to the ground, its fingers clinging to a hole in his shirt. Dominic lifted the cold hands, gently placing it onto the equally cold tile before falling back on the ground, gasping as his throat closed, air being cut off from his lungs.

He closed his eyes as he focused on his breathing, regaining full consciousness before looking back at the hellish stairs. His throat burned, as if he had swallowed his own knife, slicing his esophagus to shreds with each pulsing throb, only to remove the blood associated with such an act. Dominic's legs throbbed, the small journey done feeling more like miles, and the claustrophobia only made the matters worse. He couldn't tell if his muscles were tense or relaxed, the excruciating pain they set on his body as he rolled over, pushing himself up from the ground. Immediately, he hissed, realizing the walker had unintentionally kneed him, a bruise developing on his calves. He looked as the blueish brown welp grew in size and became sensitive to the touch. _Well, fuck_. He limped towards the stairwell, holding onto anything he could to keep him upright.

Dominic faced the corner, ready to ascend the painful flight of stairs. As he turned, a shadow dashed across the staircase, a dark mass running for the halls. Dominic glanced behind him, nothing there but the vanilla tiles and brown walls, with doors every few feet. Looking back, he took his first step, the sound of rushing footsteps pulsating in his ears before his head burst into agony, then everything was replaced by darkness.

* * *

The marshes surrounding the mouth of the Savannah river were always a muddy mess, even during the freezing winter, but for Molly it didn't matter. The brown, slimy goop floating on top of the water stuck to her legs. The water felt just as horrible as it looked; thick, muddy, and sloshy, like a garbage milkshake without whip cream. She trampled through it without giving it a second thought. She looked over the horizon as dark clouds drew closer to the river's shore from the north, black as night, as if threatening to drop the water then and now onto the land below. Several trees hung low over the water as if they felt the oncoming storm too. The chill moisture in the air clung to her skin, forcing her to shiver as she waded through the palpable sea of air. Not a single animal rummaged through the open fields, or a fish flop out of the river. Everything was still and silent, even a mosquito's heartbeat could be be heard if you pressed your ears to the sky. Beneath the surface, mud trailed the riverbed, the brown substance now a blackened hue from years of pollution and harbor traffic.

The night before, she had found herself sailing down the same river towards the sea, not daring to look back at the city she was leaving behind.

"Come… on!" She hissed, tugging the metal trailer as the wheels screeched from misuse, inch by inch drawing closer to the shore. She swept the blonde hair out of her face as her fingers slipped, nearly losing grasp of Hilda while she made her way to the muddy water. She pulled, digging her feet into the ground as the wheels gently turned, giving in to her forced momentum. Her muscles screamed as she gave yet another tug, the two mile pull taking a heavy toll on her body. She could hear the river flowing behind her, yet it still felt so far away. She grimaced as the fatigue paralyzed her body, dropping Hilda and grasping the side of the trailer weakly before pulling herself up. She nearly fell into the driver's seat as she took a deep breath, relaxing her tired muscles while laying down on the boat's fiberglass hull. All she could do was breathe in and out in rhythm to the beat of her own heart.

As she stared up at the starry sky above her, a single thought bubbled to the surface. She was finally free. All of the bickering left in the ruins of this dead city; the lies, the scams, the _pain_ ; every prick of the needle the people she had to deal with poured out of her like sweat as she clambered out and pushed the small craft off its trailer and into the water. The group, Kenny, Lee and the rest, left her like a bad memory. With every drop of sweat, another argument fell like a weight off of her shoulders, one she would never have to carry again. She could still hear their voices, and Kenny's yelling, as the group fell to its knees when she made the decision: _I have to get out of here and save myself…_ Was that selfish of her? The question echoed endlessly in her mind as it tried to find any way of justifying her decision. In the end, it came down to one thing: the group was dead; there was no going back. No matter how much she wanted what they first had to last, the dynamic of the group members led to only one outcome: destruction. She couldn't bear to watch more people die, not after Hilda, and not after Crawford. She just wanted out, to _survive._ Maybe she had been too hasty when deciding to leave the group, but that didn't matter anymore. She exiled herself.

With the long haul out of the way, she breathed in the nighttime air, the morning dew slowly arising out of the docks as she got on her feet. She grabbed the red can hiding behind the driver's seat and unhinged the cap, the vile yet strangely appealing smell of gasoline skinning her nose alive as she brought it up to the gas tank, pouring the liquid until it reached the top of the tank. Molly climbed back in, her muscles still screaming as she gripped the key, turning it quickly while the excitement in her soul fought to jitter her body. With the start of the engine roaring to life, a smile engraved her face before she slammed on the accelerator, rushing out of the muddy docks and into the open river and towards the ocean beyond. Yet, that's when everything changed. She glanced out into the open water, nothing but black and blue water ahead of her for miles. _Where am I going…?_ She didn't know. Savannah had been her home for most of her life, and since leaving Crawford, it just came down to basic survival: scavenge, eat, drink, sleep, breathe, repeat. Where was she to go that isn't just as much of a hellhole as the one she left behind; nowhere was safe. She stared at the water, the sense of overwhelming freedom quickly becoming a form of anxiety as she spun the boat around, unforeseen water splashing across her face. She stopped and hopped out into the goopy marshes with one man in mind. She needed guidance to search the wasteland, who better to get that from than from the man who could see the future?

Finding a broken fence along the river, she wrapped a rope around it, anchoring the boat before she made her trek back to the house. She ran, the activity suddenly easier on her legs without the bulking fiberglass dragging behind her. Within an hour, she stepped back inside the building, only to find out Clementine had gone missing, taken by some evil stranger that had been stalking them. In the back of her mind she knew this would be a bad idea; getting involved with Lee and the group would only bring hostility, especially after what she'd done; she couldn't risk it. She walked to the famous couch, only to discover Dominic still unconscious as could be, slouched against the armrest. She decided to search the house, see if any valuables were left lying around before leaving this godforsaken city once and for all. While scavenging around upstairs, someone had left a small amount of ammo stuffed in the back of a dresser in a bedroom, along with a tiny pocketknife. _Could be useful..._ Down the hallway, a few packages of crackers were left unattended, stale as they were, she tasted them, only spitting them out in horror. _Clementine, I'm sure._ With the search complete she treaded downstairs, a noise erupting from the kitchen.

" _Ow! Fuck!"_ A weakened voice had shouted to the rest of the house.

" _About damn time you wake up."_ Molly had hissed, a sense of amusement coming from her voice. She couldn't stay long, not with the possibility of anyone seeing her again, especially around Dominic. If they knew about her taking the boat, she'd be ratted out immediately, no doubt by Kenny. If his outrages were bad, seeing her could be his breaking point.

So she lied to Dominic, seeing it was the only way out of Savannah, and the only way she had any chance of getting Dominic on board with her and away from the rest of them. She told him that the boat was gone when she got here, even hinted at the possibility that Lee and the others simply left him behind. No surprise, Dominic sighed with obvious disbelief, staring at her with pain and defiance in his eyes. He wouldn't go, but now Molly had another priority: Clementine. She cared about that little girl just as much as anyone else in Lee's group. In a way, Clementine reminded her of Hilda; sweet, innocent little Hilda. It was her chance to start again after her fatal mistake. She couldn't let the girl die.

Now, Molly was in the marsh again, the familiar muddy water and goop coming into focus through the mist. As she got closer, her mind wandered back through the the city and into Crawford. Her spine rattled as the memories played in her head, sending a shock through her nerves and deep into the marrow within her bones.

" _Fuck! Do you think they saw us?!" Ben hissed as they slammed the glass door, cutting off the walkers whose footsteps and moans could be heard outside the school._

" _I don't think so. I think we're good, for now at least," Lee muttered, staring down the steps beyond the door._

" _Dominic wasn't kidding, this place is_ _ **crawling**_ _with walkers," Carley gasped as she pocketed her pistol, a glimmer of safety replacing the cold fear inside her as the metal clinked against her thigh._

" _They were monsters to start with," Molly added, crossing her arms as she leaned against a locker. "They got what they deserved."_

" _After what they did here, I think I can agree with you," Lee hissed, glancing at the young girl._

" _Oh man, we are so screwed…" Ben breathed, his heart rate steadily increasing as he banged the back his head against a locker, struggling to calm his breathing and settle his nerves. The moaning emanating from all around them not helping either of his causes._

" _Calm down son," Chuck muttered to the boy, looking around the building with a curious eye, the classrooms appealing since he hadn't seen one in decades, oh, how they've changed since he'd been a student. "We ain't dead yet."_

" _T-those_ _ **things**_ _are gonna get up here, and_ _ **then**_ _we will be!" Ben stuttered, his eyes wide with fear as his fingers gripped his hair, tugging as the mental frustration overwhelmed him. "We don't even know where to find the supplies we're looking for!" He hollered, shaking as every inch of his body felt like a walker was clawing for him._

" _Hey, idiot! Care to keep your voice down before you attract every single one of those things in here?!" Molly hissed, clenching her fists as the boy cowered, hunched against the locker with Molly staring him down._

" _I'm sorry! I'm just…_ _ **scared**_ _," Ben whispered, his eyes darting between the remaining survivors and the doors, the sound of a hundred banging fists down the stairs against the front doors sending shockwaves down his spine._

" _We need to keep our heads if we're gonna get those supplies and get out of here alive," Lee announced, his voice strangely calm while he wondered where the perfect place to find them might be. "We can find them if we work together." He gave a quick look at Molly before returning his gaze on the rest of the crew._

" _You're right," Molly agreed, "we need to find where their command center, or whatever is. From there, we can find out where the supplies are at."_

" _Any ideas?" Lee inquired, praying someone might open up._

" _Nope," Molly lied, "but let's just search the floor and see what we find."_

Molly shook the memory away, stomping through the mud faster. She couldn't dwell on past anymore, all she could do was carry on. Once she finally reached the boat, the icy wind sent shivers throughout her body, making it all the more difficult to untether the craft from the fence post. Once the deed was done, she climbed aboard, taking a look back at the city behind her on the horizon. It made her uneasy, the lights didn't shine anymore at night, casting a sinister silhouette over the city she once called home. In the midst of admiring her old home, a thought ran across her mind. _I should go back for him_. She slumped in her seat, the freezing leather pressing against the creases in her back while the wild thoughts flew through her mind. _Don't know if he got away from that herd of geeks, but I need to know that I'm not just going to sit here waiting here for a dead man._ She gripped the wheel in her hands as she mulled it over, the sense of power in the spaces between her fingers was overwhelming. _I could just leave… no._ She couldn't just leave him in there. The boy was insane even trying to attempt pushing through a horde, let alone taking on this Stranger alone. She had to go back for him.

And that, she did.


	17. SEASON 1 FINALE: Die, II

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 1: Episode 4 - Strangers in Dark Corners**

 **Chapter 17: Die, II (Season 1 Finale, Part 1)**

* * *

"Hey Lee, looks like your little shitbird of a friend has up and left," Kenny growled as Lee entered the house. He stood over the couch, staring at it in disdain, bile in his stomach bubbling at the thought of the shithead that laid there previously.

"What are you talking about Kenny?" Lee groaned, dragging himself through the kitchen, focusing halfheartedly on the Floridian who called for him.

"Look for yourself," Kenny muttered as he approached Lee, pointing toward the living room they had left Dominic in the night before, his face smug with disgust as he stared down the man who trusted him.

Grunting, Lee strolled into the living room to find the couch empty. "How long ago do you think he woke up?" Omid inquired, appearing from the top of the staircase, his injured leg bent while he stood there, staring as well at the abandoned couch.

"Long enough to leave," Lee muttered, glancing around the room, as if Dominic would suddenly appear, looking for any clues of where the boy went.

"He probably went off looking for Clementine, same as us," Christa added, helping Omid to sit down before sighing and turning to Lee. "So what's the plan then?" Everyone locked eyes on Lee, waiting for his move.

"We still have no idea where the Stranger took Clementine," Lee announced, his voice switching to a tone of sadness as the words left him. "But we know she's still in the city. We need to find clues, anything, to narrow down where he would've taken her."

"So basically, you want to keep kicking every fuckin' door in," Kenny griped. He sighed as he kicked the couch before sitting on it. The man stared at Lee, waiting for something actually smart to come out of his mouth. He was still focused on the boat. All Kenny wanted was to leave this hellhole, to have some measure of safety on the high seas. After Katjaa and Duck, it's the least he thought the world owed him.

"We don't have much choice here, Kenny, it's either that or…" His voice died off as the offensive thought crossed his mind, the idea that Clementine would die along with it eating away his insides. "...or give up." He choked on the last words.

"Which isn't an option," Christa quickly added, noticing Lee's voice crack.

"Agreed. If we're lucky, we'll find-" A strange noise in the distance stopped Lee's statement in place. The sound of scrambling footsteps could be heard from outside, along with a cult chanting in their god-awful moans beyond the door. The group looked in each other's eyes, everyone giving the same signal as the moaning and footsteps grew closer. Lee ran to the window, an unspeakable amount of walkers closing in on all sides of the house.

"Holy fuck…" Omid gasped, saying what everyone had been thinking

"That's… a lot of them," Carley whispered, looking over Lee's shoulder as they looked out of the window. They couldn't count… hundreds, maybe thousands, of them were piling in the yard, headed straight for the house. Some of the abominations were crawling on the lawn, tugging at scraps of grass or other walker's legs. A few unlucky walkers were trampled, the horrifying sounds of squished limbs and wretched screams erupting from their crushed lips.

"Shit, they're coming straight for the house." Lee muttered, his heart flinging to his throat as the numbers fogged his brain, only to be realigned with reality by Carley's scream in his ears.

"We have to move, _**LEE**_! She hollered, pulling his shirt as they stumbled away from the window, their breathing rapid with panic as the room burst with shouts coming from every angle. They had mere minutes, if they were lucky, before these monsters raided the place, consequently destroying everything in their path.

"We can secure this place!" Christa shouted over the chaos, running for the back door, locking every latch her eyes could catch in her scrambling. Her fingers shook with fear as she jingled the locks, finishing and rushing to the living room, only to open the closet door close to the fireplace. She glanced around, grabbing anything heavy she could from the corner and returning to the back door, throwing them in place, blocking the entrance. Backdoor secured.

"Do you see how many of them are out there? There ain't no securing from that!" Kenny growled, standing in place as he pulled out his gun, pulling back the metal hammer. If anything was going to invade this place, they would be met with death, again. He closed in on the front windows, locking them before staring out, his mouth agape at the amount of dead stumbling toward them. Like ants, they moved in from every direction, covering as much ground as they could in the shortest amount of time possible. Kenny gripped his pistol as the oncoming shitfest awaited him.

"We've got to try!" Lee shouted over everybody, looking at each person before spitting out his orders. "Christa, search the house for weapons! Anything you can find! Kenny, move anything you can up against the doors, hopefully that'll hold 'em back long enough for us to make an escape. Carley, help Christa!" As they each ran off to do their selected tasks, Lee turned to Omid to see him staring horrified at the front foyer, his eyes moving manically from the doors to Lee. "Omid! What is it?"

Omid limped towards the foyer as fast as he could, nearly falling over as he gripped onto anything he could. He gripped the table leading towards the front doors, and collapsed as he reached the bare end, gripping the wall like a handle too big for his fingers. He could see through the gripping pain that walkers were closing in, at least ten of them about to reach the open entrance. Before Omid reached the front doors, a deep voice rang out, cutting through the chaos around the home.

" **FRONT DOORS!** " Lee shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Help….me…" Omid gasped as he struggled to stay upright, the mass pressing against him from both sides combined with the wound in his leg becoming an unbearable obstacle, throwing his vision into a blurry haze with the only thing left to do; push harder.

Everyone converged on the main entrance, pushing the door shut as the first group had made contact. They turned into one solid mass as they shoved hard against the wooden doors, the walkers' growing number pushing back, a few undead hands reaching through the thin gap in the door for them.

"Shit, Lee cut their hands off!" Christa shouted while pushing against the current.

"There must be a knife or something in the kitchen!" Omid suggested, leaning against the doors, putting all of his weight against the walkers, desperately praying to whatever God he believed in to let this end. A tear swelled up at the edge of his eyes. He looked around, the screams of a thousand undead walkers filling his ears, his friends shouting above the noise only deafening his hearing. Pressing against the entrance, his back began to ache, the weight becoming an moving wall as he tried to hold it in place, wishing he could somehow move it a few more inches, enough to keep the Devil out of his sanctuary. Omid glanced to the side, Christa and Carley beside him, holding the demons at bay while his strength slowly faded. In between the crease of the doors, hands reached for their next prey, an overwhelming stench invading their nostrils from the flaking flesh.

Lee stopped pushing, and ran for the kitchen. He ripped open every drawer he laid eyes on, silverware and utensils flinging across the room, yet the clinking and clanging could barely be heard over the sound of the hungry souls of the undead surrounding them. He dropped down onto his knees, rummaging inside the cabinets, tossing plastic bowls and more old utensils out until he came across a blade that caught his eyes. He examined the cleaver closely before standing up and running back into the foyer, cleaver held high.

" **WATCH OUT!** "Lee hollered, his mighty cleaver like a knight's sword, ready to spill the beasts' blood. Everyone took a glance, immediately spotting the shining silver in his hands, before ducking their heads and putting as much pressure against the doors as possible. Lee pushed past his friends, his eyes targeting the rotting hands like a chef ready to slice up his ingredients. He swung, fingers and arms falling to the floor, his silver sword now dripping with dark crimson blood, each slice in sync with the pounding fists just beyond. He stared, the bloody marrow of his foes gleaming in the what little sunlight beamed in as they continued their sickening moans. With every slice of flesh, the crack in the door became smaller and smaller, until it finally let out its angelic click, locking the satanic beings on the outside indefinitely.

Everyone took a second to breathe, Omid giving into the excruciating pain in his legs and sliding down to the floor, meeting the freezing tiles with a plop. Christa joined him, taking a seat and giving him a quick kiss before lying against him. The two watched Lee and Carley embrace each other in a victorious hug, laughing as the futility of their situation came bearing down upon them.

"So, when are we going to go back to sitting around doing nothing again?" Carley whispered to Lee, a smile etched across her face.

"That would be boring." Lee muttered, grinning at her joke. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, each gazing into the other's eyes, searching for what remained of their souls.

Carley searched, only to find an innocent man roaming, lost inside of himself, wanting to be freed so he could do right by the world. He was looking for someone, as if he had lost his reason for living. He had lost one of those reasons to the Stranger, Clementine, but she could see he was determined to get her back, no matter the cost.

Lee gazed into the woman before him, seeing not only the persevering woman looking for truth, but he could see the compassion she had for others, the bold leader she was becoming, and how she would stop at nothing to keep the ones she cared about alive and together.

Carley and Lee leaned in without realizing it, kissing each other, before quickly retreating, glancing around the room as if nothing had happened. The moment slipped by so quickly Lee couldn't tell if it really happened, only his heart racing told him the beautiful and honest truth. Carley stared, bug eyed, her wall crumbling down at the man she once considered a murderer.

Omid and Christa watched on, holding their lips shut as they laughed. Tiny whispers of "Awww!" and "I knew it!" fluttering from their mouths as Lee and Carley quickly separated, scratching the back of their necks nervously. Omid leaned forward, coughing before opening his mouth to speak.

"Can we just focus on how the fuck we're getting out of here?" Kenny grumbled, appearing from around the corner by the windows, interrupting Omid mid-breath.

Omid nodded his head, turning from Kenny to Lee, shrugging as he asked the question everyone wanted to know. "Now what?"

"Shhh," Lee coughed, taking his eyes off of Carley and back into reality. "Everybody, we have to hide, and then find a way out."

"Lee's right; this place is secure. We're patient and then we get going," Christa agreed, pulling herself off the floor, then helping Omid back onto his feet.

" _Lee?_ " A tiny voice emanated from the radio on Lee's belt, causing a unified gasp to ensue within the foyer.

" **CLEMENTINE?!** " Lee shouted after retrieving the radio from his belt, his fingers shaking and eyes bugging towards the tiny speaker.

"Where is she?!" Carley blurted out, shocked and happy at the same time that she was communicating with them again.

"Is she ok?!" Christa submitted into the crowd of words.

"Can- can we find her?" Omid jumped in.

" _T-the Stranger has me at… at the Marsh House, where my parents used to stay…_ " Her voice shook with every word, her voice sounding like it was travelling through a tube, telling Lee she must be in a confined space. She stopped for a second, her next sentence shaking just as much as she was. " _He has Dominic too._ " She whispered into the transmitter.

" _What the_ _ **hell**_ _do you think you're_ _ **doing**_ _?!_ " A voice echoed from behind Clementine's. The voices on the radio were suddenly replaced by static, ripping the hope from Lee's heart and replacing it with imminent dread.

"He has them at the Marsh House…" Lee repeated, looking at his friends, daring to not meet anyone's gaze, knowing very well it would cause him to burst into tears. _Shit, do I still have that map?_ He dug around in his pockets, feeling little bits of scrap until he pulled out the little pamphlet, a map of Savannah's downtown district drawn down on the crumpled paper.

"Looks like the Marsh House is over by River Street, If we can get there, we can save them," Lee muttered, folding the map back into his pocket.

" _If_ we can get out of here," Carley responded. Everyone turned, ready to continue blockading the house as the sound of breaking glass echoed from the living room. The murmuring of the walkers' screams turned into a full fledged nightmare as more walkers knocked through the glass windows, crawling over the shards and hastily placed barricades, swarming into different rooms within seconds. Lee backed away from the pockets of walkers, cleaving away at their necks and heads as they poured into the home. Christa grabbed Omid by the shoulders, guiding him away from the windows as they crashed, one by one, into the room, glass covering every inch of the floor. Blood dripped onto the living room floor like an omen, the blackened liquid pooling as the demons ambushed their prey, leaving the only safe haven left being Hell itself.

Carley stared into the kitchen as bodies piled up against the back door, each knocking on the door to a deadly beat. She rushed beyond the walkers in the living room, knocking one down in her path before reaching the counters, leaning her back against the ceramic top while she waited, gun drawn. Blood dripped through the cracks in the wooden door, bodies being squished while the rest the living room was flooded with walkers, forcing their way closer to the Hell House. Cracks splintered in the boarded window, the force of their mass actually breaking the barrier, the screams of walkers filling Carley's ears until a shattering crack exploded her eardrums, her eyes blinded as the door fell. A sonic boom erupted in the kitchen, the door falling to the floor as mutilated walkers dropped on top of it. Carley began to shoot every walker that stepped over the broken barricade, their bodies colliding with the others on the cold floor.

" **CARLEY!** " Lee cried out, noticing a couple of walkers heading her way. He swung, his cleaver cracking the skull of a walker, the undead cadaver collapsing into a heap where it stood. Lee crushed its leg before yanking on his cleaver, the blade flying out of its skull with a mighty squelch. He rushed for the next one, knocking it to the ground before bringing the blade down on its neck, the blood beginning to gush before Lee pulled his blade out one final time, slicing a deep gash into its skull. He bypassed the incoming walkers piling from the back door and gripped Carley by the arm, pulling her to the foyer.

" **WE NEED TO MOVE!** " Lee shouted over the chaos.

" **THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!** " Omid gasped, backing against the staircase, his eyes wide at the amount of walkers filling the house. It was at that point he couldn't tell which body was alive or dead, the wooden floor of the living room vanishing as it was replaced by the bloody bodies.

" **SHIT! EVERYONE UPSTAIRS!** " Kenny roared as he shot into the crowd, turning around in time to escape their rotting hands.

* * *

Dominic groaned, his throbbing head pulling him out of his forced slumber. He glanced about; nothing but a foggy scene enveloped him, throwing his brain into a chaotic mix of pain and confusion. He blinked before trying to move, pain shooting through his nerves from every muscle in his body. Stretching his arms and legs, he tried to focus on his surroundings, a chair straight across from him coming into view. The pain filling his body changed abruptly to cold adrenaline as the hair on his skin rose to a point. His eyes were cold, staring him down like a wild animal, creating a cage with his pupils. Dominic wanted to fight back, but he had locked the cage.

"Hello Dominic," the man greeted, leaning back in his chair, his foot resting pleasantly on his knee. His voice rattled Dominic's bones to the marrow deep within. The voice was cold, yet warm, on the outside he was inviting, but inside a sinister undertone threatened to break free from its chains.

"Stranger," Dominic grunted out, his voice hoarse as his breath left him.

"Is that what you call me? How creative." He muttered, chuckling at the title.

"Where's Clementine?" Dominic growled, his eyes filling with blood.

"She's safe," The Stranger smiled, "from you."

"What have you done with her?" Dominic seethed, his voice raising with every word, the anger building inside of him boiling to the surface.

"She's in a safe place," He countered, his voice remaining calm. "Where's your friend, Lee?"

"Hopefully as far away from here as possible," Dominic grunted.

"I don't think so. He doesn't strike me as the abandoning type." He smirked as Dominic's eyes grew narrower.

"Do you have a point, or are we going to just ignore each other's questions for eternity?" Dominic spat.

"My point is: you've become a nuisance." The Stranger rolled his eyes as he spoke, creating the roles within his mind: the so-called "hero" and the worthless pawn. He wanted nothing but to put a bullet into the boy's head, but decided on having a little fun first. "I didn't give you much thought before, when I heard about what your friends did. You were so preoccupied with yourself to notice your friends stealing from my car. They didn't care if they hurt someone else, and you just let them do it. Despite that, I really didn't care about you. You were a broken child, and I wanted revenge for what Lee did. But then I heard about who you really are, and what you have become."

"Is this the part you make me feel bad about my actions?" Dominic retorted, rolling his eyes at the useless details. His fingers twitched at the thought of the Stranger's blood running down his skin, a small smile twisting his face at the satisfaction of this man's death.

"You _should_ feel bad. You murdered that man in **cold blood** ," the Stranger stated calmly, twiddling his thumbs on the cap of his knee.

"He was a cannibal; he killed some of my friends," Dominic shot back. He glared at the Stranger, a firm look of disdain glued to his face. He looked behind the Stranger's brown hair and at the closed closet door behind him, the urge to burst into the small room taking over, sending a shiver down his spine. His legs shook violently while the two men spoke.

"But is that the image you wanted to imprint on Clementine's mind?" The Stranger asked. "Is that what you wanted her to become?"

"No. But sometimes you've got no choice." Dominic spat, staring at the creases in the door, looking for any sign of Clementine.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." The Stranger said politely, his eyes widening with disgust at Dominic's disrespect. When Dominic glared back at him, he continued. "And I suppose it was a choice to let your friends take my stuff and ruin my life?" The Stranger remarked, raising a brow.

"I don't give a shit about your life," Dominic snapped, a lump forming in his throat when the Stranger raised his revolver at him. He watched it, the silver barrel pointing directly at his forehead.

"You better watch your tone," He muttered softly, pausing between each word. "I thought I knew what you were," he moved on, the sinister tone slipping away as he continued in even breaths, "You were just a boy who lost his mind, but I was wrong. You were _much_ more than that. When Clementine told me about your past, I knew there was something special about you." The Stranger's voice seemed to rise, as if he was getting excited about mentioning Dominic's true roots.

"Uh huh," Dominic muttered, his mouth moving on autopilot, waiting for tea time to be over.

"There was no doubt in my mind," The Stranger leaned forward, each word spoken with clear intonations for his big reveal. "You were a Traveler."

"I don't know what you mean," Dominic shot back, tired of the nonsense bullshit he was being given.

"Of course you do," The Stranger smiled, "you're from the future, not only that, you're from a future where this," he pointed out to the world just beyond the walls, the world of the undead. "Where this never happened."

"Maybe I was just unlucky," Dominic shrugged, the pain of losing his family and friends, Josh and Steve, long sown over in his heart.

"No, that wouldn't explain everything you've been able to foretell. That takes something more than just an 'accident'." His friendly tone was shifting, resentment leaving his voice as he explained.

"Maybe you're right," Dominic muttered, barely giving a shit. "but as long as I don't become like you, I don't care."

"You created me," The Stranger shot back, laughing. "You and your evil little group. You don't understand how many times I tried to fix your mistakes, how many times I tried to save my wife and son. But, I couldn't save my family, so I will just have take yours."

"Is that what you want from me then?" Dominic snapped, "to take away my family and kill me?"

"No, I want you to break."

Out of the corner of his eye, Dominic noticed a rope attached to the closet door suddenly loosen, the young girl he had been looking for peering out at the commotion. Dominic smiled as he stared directly into the Stranger's soulless eyes. "You'll have to do better than a bullet to break me."

"Oh," The Stranger sighed, a smile stitched onto his face as the ideas roamed his twisted skull. "It'll be worse than that."

"Prove it then, shoot me." Dominic retorted, half expecting the man to merely laugh at his challenge.

The Stranger smiled, lifting his pistol and, without as much as a wink, pulled the trigger. Dominic screamed, the feeling of a thousand needles piercing his stomach. Clementine's shrill voice filled the room, the little girl running to his side, her fingers gripping his already numbing arm. He looked to her, tears already in her blurring eyes.

"How did you get out?" The Stranger questioned, the cold, pleasant voice freezing his bleeding stomach. Dominic glanced, dark crimson staining his shirt as his life began to end. He took one last look at Clementine, the barrel now against her forehead before his heart stopped beating, and his vision turned to black.

"So, how did it feel?" The Stranger asked, smiling at Dominic.

Dominic's eyes flew open as the world seemed to spin around him, his head light as he instantly looked down, only to see his stomach remained intact. _What the fuck just happened?!_ The Stranger laughed, aiming the pistol at the boy as he struggled to come to terms with what he just witnessed.

"What the fuck?" Dominic gasped through the pain that emanated from his stomach; he couldn't wrap his head around it, the bullet and blood was gone, yet his body still ached. He gripped his stomach, praying for the excruciating pain to dissolve.

"You see? That was too easy. Killing you isn't enough, I want you to look back on this moment, and see just how much of a worthless little shit you really are."

"So that's why you're here then," Dominic coughed, smiling through the pain as he watched Clementine grab a bottle of wine from the shelf beside here. "You stayed right where I could find you so you could destroy me."

"You catch on fast," the Stranger smirked.

Dominic smiled back as Clementine tiptoed behind the Stranger's chair, completely unaware of the events that had just happened. "But, you'll have to do better than that to break me."

Without warning, the Stranger whipped his arm around and grabbed the little girl's arm, yanking her around the armrest and in between him and Dominic, the bottle loose in his right hand and the pistol in the other. He pressed the cold metal barrel against her temple, causing her to whine in pain.

"How about this huh?!" He opened the cylinder of his revolver and pulled out the bullets, leaving one behind just for her. He placed the barrel against her head, his finger resting on the trigger.

"I thought you were trying to save _her_ from _**me**_ ," Dominic growled, his eyes on the trigger. "What a fucking hypocrite you are."

"I've grown tired both of you." He deadpanned.

He smiled as he pulled the trigger. The pistol clicked, sending a shockwave through the room before he continued. "That's one chamber empty, but the next might not be."

"You're fucking twisted," Dominic spat, his heart racing as his finger pinched for another shockwave. "She's just a little girl!"

" **SHE'S MORE THAN A LITTLE GIRL, YOU'VE TURNED HER INTO A KILLER!** " The Stranger roared, pressing it harder against her head.

" **SAYS THE MAN WITH THE FUCKING PISTOL AGAINST HER HEAD!** "

The man belched out a maniacal laugh before sticking the revolver in Dominic's face. "I'm going to shoot you again. Maybe the second time'll be the charm."

"You're a fucking lunatic."

Clementine stood against the man, silent and crying as the eternal fight continued. The men bickered, her fate lying in the hands of the guy she thought was saving her. _Who was right?_ Everything she's heard has been lies between the two; both men called the other evil. But in that moment, she couldn't tell who was the real villain. Her heart sank as she realized she may never know the truth, and anything based on morality would have to be her judgement, and _her_ judgement alone. But Dominic was right, this man she thought she could trust was absolutely insane. _What did he mean by he was going to shoot him again...?_

The Stranger let out a flat "hah" before kneeling next to the breaking boy, still holding Clementine against her will. "You don't seem to understand, Dominic," he whispered in the boy's ear. "You and me, we're Travelers. We are beyond the comprehension of man. Everything you see, can be controlled."

"I will never be like you." Dominic deadpanned, his eyes still locked onto the silver barrel against Clementine's head.

"Not yet, but you will."

"I thought you were going to break me." Dominic countered.

"I'm merely showing you how I felt trying to save my family. That's how I'm going to break you."

"You're fucking insane."

A twisted smile appeared on his face as he aimed the revolver at Clementine again, clicking again as he pulled the trigger. "Two down, three left. Your ignorance is going to cost the girl her life, Dominic."

He turned back to the boy, who merely stared back at him in defeat, shaking violently in his chair. "You're pathetic. I expected more of a fight from you. It's a shame really, you would've made a really good Traveler."

Dominic's voice barely reached the Stranger's ears. "What do _you_ think Travelers are then?" The air stilled as the younger boy stared up at the Stranger. "Just something you can use to justify your insanity?"

"Insanity?" The Stranger scoffed, spluttering out more laughter as he stared at Dominic. "I'm not the insane one here. You are. Look at you." He spat at the boy's feet, taking in the trembling kid before him. How _weak_ he was acting, watching as he held his 'friend' against her will, and not moving an inch to _save_ her. "You _try_ to save your 'friends', but look at where it's gotten you. You got _nothing_. You let them slip through your fingers, and now they're dead: Mark and Larry, Katjaa and Duck, all dead!" He flashed a small smile as his next words escaped his lips, "Not to mention Lilly…"

"Lilly **shot** _me_." Dominic seethed, bewildered at the mention of her name. "But that doesn't mean she's dead."

"You're right, she could be alive right now," The Stranger muttered, cocking the revolver once more, "But even she will die, some day." He shrugged, looking at Clementine, fiddling with the barrel pointed at her forehead.

Dominic sighed. This man was too far gone to be reasoned with; the deaths of his wife and son must've destroyed him more than Dominic realized. "Do you have a point?" He fumed, tired of this back and forth crap.

"My point is," The man shouted, turning back toward Dominic. "You've been doing **everything** wrong. You could've prevented their deaths, but instead, you _failed_."

"There was nothing I could do!" Dominic shouted back. The tide of the conversation suddenly changed as Dominic became the criminal, and the Stranger the interrogator. "Just like there was nothing you could do!" He shot, trying to poke a hole in the man's ego, possibly accomplishing his goal, for the raging lunatic howled with flaring anger at the boy.

" **WRONG!** There's a _million_ ways you could have saved them. You had a chance to, and you blew it! Perhaps when you manifest, you'll understand this."

" **WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?!** " Dominic screamed at him, who merely smirked in response.

The Stranger pinched the trigger once more; this time a loud bang echoed through the room as Clementine's limp body fell to the floor, the thump of her body hitting the carpet syncing with Dominic's heart shattering. "Ah, seems that I found the right one."

"You son of a bitch," Dominic mouthed, no words coming out as the lump filled his throat, choking his every breath. _No, Clementine…_

The Stranger laughed, watching as Dominic scrambled out of his chair and onto the floor to Clementine, clutching her body as tears fell onto her face. A tear fell from his eye as a smile formed on his face, realizing she didn't even feel the pain. She was gone from this world, away from the hatred, the fighting, the struggle to survive. She was free, but that didn't make the pain go away. He looked up at her murderer with rage, so angry he could barely hear the man's next words.

" _Do you see what I can do, Dominic?_ "

Dominic blinked, Clementine back beside the Stranger. He took in his surroundings; he was in the chair, again. The Stranger stared at him, chuckling under his breath as the sound of the gun clicking filled room. Dominic gasped as he clicked the pistol once more, pushing it against her temple hard enough to make her whine. Dominic reached out, doing the only thing he could think of before the deafening bang filled the room again.

This went on for several counts; the question, the laughter, the feeling of dread when he looked into her eyes before he heard the loud bang, and watching as her body fell to the floor. Through all of this, Dominic could still feel the weight of her body in his arms. He felt the tears, as if they never went away, dripping down his face as the little girl he loved like his own sister died, repeatedly, directly in front of his eyes. He held her in his arms as that special light left her eyes right before she hit the floor, unmoving. In an instant, he was back in the chair again. He tried to grab the gun, only to be met with a quicker bang then the last, feeling the rush of the bullet before it stopped her heart.

" _Ready for another round?_ " The Stranger asked, the over-familiar cocking of the gun filling Dominic's ears. He looked up, his eyes already welled up with tears as he nodded, broken. He stared down at the ground while he waited for the next dreaded pop of the pistol. He shut his eyes as he prepared himself for the next round of Hell, at the same time as the tears began to drip onto his lap. His heart was gone, becoming an empty vessel with nothing left but to pump blood. The beat stopped time and time again. He lost count after the dozen mark, her thump to the floor ringing in his ears like a broken record player, now another trophy for the monster smiling down at him.

Clementine looked up the man holding the gun to her head, focused wholeheartedly on not moving her head. _Did he just say… another round?_ The light struck her mind as she realized she had no time to think.

"Stop this… please…" Dominic begged, tears streaming down his face as he looked away.

Everything ran in slow motion as she faced the Stranger and attacked the only way she could; teeth. She bit as hard as her jaw could bite, the foul taste of iron invading her senses while she pushed the gun away, leading to an unwanted bang to pierce the air.

" **OW!** Fucking bitch!" The Stranger howled out, grabbing her arm and tossing her to the floor.

Dominic blinked, the thud of Clementine's body hitting the floor disrupting the pattern. _What?_ He looked up to see the Stranger staring down at Clementine's shaking form, the hand clutching the gun clicking open the barrel for one more bullet. _NO!_ Dominic leapt to his feet, shoving the hand away before he tackled the man, sending them both crashing over the chair and onto the wooden floor; the end closing in.

The Stranger sent a devastating punch straight into Dominic's cheek. The world seemed to blur as the brute force of the attack sent Dominic's head slamming against the floor, the carpet feeling like a steel wall meeting his skull. Groaning, he turned back to the Stranger with barely enough time to see the silver barrel turning towards him. With a swift kick, he knocked the pistol out of the older man's hands before striking a punch of his own, his fist colliding with his abdomen, the Stranger hunched over, giving Dominic enough time to reach down to his belt for his knife, only to feel the empty pocket. _Of course._ Before he could spin around, The Stranger kicked Dominic in the chest, sending the younger man sprawling to the floor. Gasping for air, he climbed back to the surface of the ring, wobbling for the lost pistol.

"Just _**die**_ already!" Dominic hissed as he struggled to get back on his feet, his head deadweight while he focused on the ground, it clearly mutating into a mass of blue foam, circling around him as he fought to stay upright.

Clementine watched in horror as the Stranger turned toward Dominic again, pistol wrapped tightly around his finger. Frantically searching the room, she spotted the shining bottle the Stranger took from her earlier lying behind the chair. She snatched it up just in time to throw it, the glass smashing to bits against his face.

He howled in pain, blood dripping from the shards sticking to his skin. Clutching his face, he stumbled back, his spine resting against the rails of the closet door. The distraction was all Dominic needed to charge at the man once more, sending both the Stranger and himself through the small room, dismantled wood spraying through the apartment while the deathmatch met its final climax.

"I've been looking forward to this for a long time, Stranger," Dominic raged, punching the man in the jaw with brutal force, only to howl in pain from his bruising knuckles. The Stranger reached out, gripping the boy's throat and kicking him back into the living room, suspending him against the back of the chair he once sat in only moments earlier. He helplessly dangled, lights flashing wildly in his vision as he stared down the man who might actually be the one to send him to his grave. The Stranger's eyes were manic, almost filled with delight to watch him struggle. Dominic's ears filled with a high-pitched ringing as his killer began to laugh, each giggle like a whisper as his senses began to fade. He grasped the man's wrist with both hands, tugging with a hopeless effort, each tug sending him farther and farther away from victory.

"Oh, I've been looking forward to this too, Dominic. For a bit longer than you have." He smiled as he kneed Dominic in the groin, sending unbearable pain up the boy's body. Dominic screamed, barely a hoarse whisper as the remaining air in his lungs were shoved out, consciousness slowly slipping away before his eyes. The fight drawing to an unmatched victory, the Stranger pulled out Dominic's knife from his back pocket, flicking the blade out of its cover like popping candy from the pouch, catching the handle with a smooth grip.

Dominic sent one lousy punch in the man's direction, only to have his wrist pinned against the wall by the Stranger's free hand.

The Stranger held out the blade, eager to finish the boy off in his heart. " **DIE!** " He swung, the blade piercing the shredded cloth like warm butter.

A loud bang deafened Dominic as the Stranger slumped to the ground. He coughed violently as he struggled to breathe, his hands clawing at his crushed windpipe, the phantom of fingers wrapped around his neck still trying to suffocate him. He looked up to find his savior, catching a small glimpse of Clementine in front of him with the pistol outstretched, shaking with every beat of her heart.

"I-" she gulped. "I…. I…." Her eyes widened as the body lay there, motionless, the reality of her heroic, yet devastating action weighing her down, destroying every mental defense she had left.

Without any thought for himself, Dominic staggered over and hugged her with every ounce of his remaining strength. "It's over Clem, we're alright."

"I…" She discarded the pistol to the floor, her head drooping as she whispered. "He was going to kill you."

"He was, but you stopped him," Dominic hissed, collapsing against the young girl's shoulder.

"You don't smell good…" She continued, only just realizing that he was covered in blood and guts, some of it not his own.

"Yeah," Dominic laughed softly, coughing as his windpipe constricted, "Yeah, I know." He hugged her again, sentimental tears flowing down his face while he whispered. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm sorry," Clementine cried, finally possessing the courage to meet his debilitated gaze. "I didn't listen to you before, and you almost died."

"It's okay Clem," Dominic soothed, clutching the back of her hair, holding her, reassuring himself that she was safe.

"He- he used my parents. He had them radio out for me, but when I got here, they were gone…" She blubbered, burrowing into his shoulder.

"What? He 'used' your parents? How?" Dominic gasped, realizing her parents' were out there on the street, bound to be drawn back to the house from the gunshots.

"I- I don't know. They said he was helping them find me and that they were at a hospital with daddy and that he was sick… they had doctors taking care of him…" She muttered, her mind drifting back to the astonishing radio log they had left her.

"That must've been…" The realization suddenly fell on him like a pile of bricks. _He must've gone back in time and tried to coerce them to send out that radio message, while he recorded it. The fucking bastard, the fucking_ _ **genius**_ _bastard._

"Must've been what?" Clementine asked, looking up at him with swollen eyes.

"That must've been at the hospital Lee found Vernon's group," Dominic countered, dodging the question. "Listen, we need to figure out how to get out of this city as fast as we can, every walker in a mile radius will be converging on this place within minutes." He bent down and picked up the pistol and his knife, the metal suddenly becoming weights as he pocketed them both before turning back to Clementine and mumbling out. "Let's go."

Dominic looked at the body lying on the floor. Nudging with his foot, he shifted it over onto its back, revealing crushed plastic shards littering the floor. _Ah, fuck_. He bent over, grunting as he lifted the biggest chunk of plastic, feeling the roughed up edges for the transmitter. Pressing down, a high pitched squeal of feedback erupted from the broken talkie, landing Dominic to toss it on top of the body, directly at the Stranger's head.

He stumbled for the door, using Clementine as support while he pulled the knob, heaving. On the other side, a walker waited, suspicious of the chaotic noise behind the walls. _FUCK!_ He froze, glancing between himself and the dead, hoping that the blood covering his clothes masked him enough to disguise them. It growled in its docile state, until its desolate eyes rested on Clementine. It gasped, the dry blood clogging its throat forcing a gruesome gurgling sound to pierce the air. It hissed out, sending Dominic into a blood-red frenzy, retrieving his knife without hesitation and charging, lodging the steel in its eye. They fell backwards, Dominic landing on top of the undead. Gasping for breath he pulled, slowly retrieving his blade from the carcass.

"Damn, that was close," Dominic breathed, rolling off of the body and landing painfully onto the cold floor, his lungs contracting as he struggled for more oxygen.

"It… it didn't bite you…?" Clementine gasped, astonished at the new amount of blood covering his chest.

"No, it didn't. It couldn't smell me through the walker blood," Dominic mumbled. He held up the crimson blade once more, his face contorting as he realized what he had to do next. _Oh God, not this again._

"Hey, come here," Dominic called out to her softly. She did as she was told, only to turn away in horror as Dominic held out the knife. Turning back to the body, he stabbed it into the walker's chest, each pull weaker and weaker as his strength continued to fade into oblivion. "This is gonna suck, but I've gotta do it, okay?" He whispered, looking at her for calming reassurance.

"Okay," she whimpered, clenching her eyes shut as Dominic ripped open the cut on its chest.

He reached into the incision, pulling out any organ he could.

* * *

The sky remained a grey hue after the storm, distorting the inside of the Marsh House. The tanned golden ceiling morphed into the familiar dead hue, as if the world suddenly became a black and white movie. A low rumbling growl of walkers echoed from down the hallway, forcing their hearts to beat to an irregular rhythm as it grew closer and closer.

The smell of rainwater stuck to the air as they stepped outside into the cold night, the concrete under their feet glimmering with specks of clear puddles. Dominic limped past the glass doorway, gasping as he stumbled against Clementine before falling face first onto the ground. He glanced up, trying desperately to pull himself up when he caught a glimpse of the main road, walkers swarming in from both directions.

"We...can't...stay here!" Clementine whined as she looked, turning towards the horde covering their path. She gripped his arm with both hands, pulling him with no results.

"I can't… move..." Dominic hissed as he tried to push himself back up.

"You **have** to…!" Clementine murmured, staring at the growing number of walkers. "Please, get up!" A tear welled in her eye while she pulled his, hand, as if she was trying to drag a hundred pound sack of potatoes through the city, with nothing but sweat coming out of her small pores.

Nodding, Dominic shook himself out of her tiny grasp and placed his hands onto the wet concrete. The thick water ran between his fingers, sending a chill down his spine as he pushed, what felt like a thousand pounds of bricks that was himself lifted off of the ground, little by little. Clementine wrapped her tiny arm around him for support as he swayed where he stood, every muscle in his body screaming for a miraculous death. "I know I'm tired, Clem. But I know we can make it... don't stop, no matter what. Okay? Just... keep going." He hissed, forcing the muscles in his face to contort into a grimace of determination. If he could motivate her to live, he would do just that.

"But what if you-?" She whined, hanging on to Dominic like a lifeline. Was he her lifeline? Or vise versa? Nobody could tell. Yet, if they wanted to make it out _**alive**_ , she knew in her soul they needed each other.

" **DON'T** stop." He repeated, staring directly into her eyes.

She nodded slowly, the realization of what Dominic was asking her forming in her mind, a drip of adrenaline pumping through her veins as she prepared herself to enter the storm. She secured her arms around Dominic while they approached the final step, taking a deep breath before stepping off gracefully, Dominic stumbling his footing before looking back at her. She nodded, her confidence dwindling with every step into the horde.

The first thing she noticed was the smell, the strength of it toppled her back, carrying Dominic with her. She glanced at him with wide eyes before they continued, the groans overpowering the thunder moving out of Savannah. Using her free hand, she gripped her nose, staggering her breaths in and out as they walked, muffling her tiny shrieks of terror as walkers bumped into them. Her heart raced, knowing with certainty that any wrong tap could be the end for them in the blink of an eye.

Dominic gripped Clementine, the two turning for River Street, back from where he came. His vision was blurred completely, with black splotches blinking in and out of existence between steps, the pain in his legs and arms blinding him further. He led by touch, hoping her hands were enough to guide him out of this hell. He smelled the familiar retched odor of blood and rotten flesh, surprisingly accustomed to the shit while they trekked through. His breathing was muffled by the crowd, miniscule spurts of wheezing quickly becoming hyperventilation as they continued, before having to hold back what little breath he had when they bumped into a 'fellow' walker.

They surrounded them, in the middle of the road. Looking back, neither Dominic or Clementine could see the Marsh House, just fuzzy street lamps that were nothing more than black poles marking their progress, and building silhouettes in the fading light. Moisture stuck to their clothes as they hobbled down the street, the duo unsure if they were sweating or it was the air. To Dominic, it felt like it was raining, pellets of water finding their home in his eyes, restricting his blurred vision further to maybe a foot in front of him, the darkness getting worse.

 _Keep… Going…_

 _Keep… Moving…_

 _ **DON'T**_ _… Stop…_

In the midst of the crowd, Dominic's eyes glazed over a familiar pair. He tried to watch, the details obscured as he gripped Clementine for continuous support. Coming closer, Dominic squeezed her hand, nodding for her to look away. She gasped, staring, stiff as a rock, while the couple passed them. The man looked to be in his thirties or forties, short hair with a familiar set of clothing. The dark blotch that should be his hand dripped with blood, his palms swollen to ungodly size. The woman had the too well known gaping hole, limping as the remaining pieces swished inside.

"M-mom? D-dad?" Clementine whined, burying her head into Dominic's shoulder as the tears welled in her eyes.

"D-don't look... Clem... please…" Dominic whispered, trying to lead Clementine out of the horde, before her own 'family' turned against them. He limped, his fear of death conquering the mass amount of blinding pain flowing evenly throughout his body. He heaved, dragging Clementine to the sidewalk on the opposite side of where the Marsh House would be, away from the heartbreaking sight behind them.

"Clem… look at me….. those… aren't your parents anymore…" Dominic whispered, gasping while his throat burned from his fight. She looked at him, her face swollen with tears as she realized the worst, devastating truth.

Her parents were dead the whole time.

"Just… a few more steps…" He continued, the end of the horde coming into view. He could see past the blurred mass of walkers, the street where he had maimed the first walker just beyond, merely a few yards from the end. He returned to his clinging posture, allowing Clementine to lead the way out. Within moments, they were back into the mass of the undead.

 _Just…. a bit… more…_

" _Dom?!_ "

Dominic's eyes closed tight as the road drifted off into the dimming sunlight. His head went blank as his consciousness floating freely, the world seeming to spin around him. The pain evaporated as Clementine's surprised cries pierced his ears, but his heart slowed to a calming, restful beat. For a brief moment, it felt as if he was flying; the last sound he heard was his body collapsing to the ground with a loud thud.

* * *

 **Next time on Living in A World of Fiction:**

"Where do we go now?" Clementine asked, her eyes shooting up to her guardian.

Dominic hesitated for a moment, his mind filing through everything he knew was to come before finally settling on a single goal. "We move north, it's the only way."

 _"Dominic?!"_

He let out a deep sigh as he spun toward her, the soft glow of the morning sun obscured by the blizzard overhead casting half his face in light, the other nearly faded into the darkness. "Listen, we still haven't talked about Savannah."

"What is there to talk about?" Her neutral tone was like a bullet to his heart.

 _"Please don't be dead… please don't dead…"_

"Welcome to Camp Shithole."

Dominic let out a bemused grunt, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. "If it's such a shithole, why do you stay?"

She shrugged. "It's better than being out there."

 _"Please... just wake up!"_

"The moment people stop caring about each other, that's the moment civilization ends." He sighed as he looked back at the younger man following him. "What is there to look forward to after that?"

 _"CLEMENTINE?!"_

 _"Molly?!"_

 _"Holy shit, you're alive!"_

 _"I don't know what's wrong with Dominic!"_

"I saw what he did," she mumbled as Molly stopped and gazed at her. "It's just the way the world is now, right? You do what you have to to protect the one's you care about?"

 _"His wound is bleeding again. Fuck, help me get him up. We need to move."_

"You and I, we're not that different," the man repeated, the twisted expression on his face fading away as he sat back down on the log and toyed with his rifle once more. "We both steal, we both kill. We do everything we can for our groups. Thing is, you killed mine, so now it's time to get even."

 _"Dominic, wake up!"_

 _"This way! I've got a boat down by the river!"_

 _"Molly, they're coming!"_

"Dominic?!" The man's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he blurted out the name. "What the shit?! The fuck are you doing here?!"

 _"Fuck, the boat's gone! I left it right here!"_

"Seriously, who died and made you leader?" The boy deadpanned as everyone followed Dominic.

 _"Molly!"_

 _"Dom, I need you wake up!"_

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's your lucky day! No sudden moves, and hands where we can see 'em! Now, if your benevolent leader can come forth, we'll make this quick and painless."

 _"Listen Clem, I know this is hard, but we might have to leave him. They're almost on top of us!"_

 _"No! We can't!"_

 _"We don't have a choice!"_

 _"There's always a choice!"_

"Hey!" She stopped in place, not even turning around as she waited for what he had to say. "I'm sorry… about everything."

"Prove it then."

 _"God, I hope you're right."_


	18. Rebirth

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 1: Those Left Behind**

 **Season 2 Summary:**

 _"After barely escaping Savannah alive, Dominic, Molly, and Clementine are forced into running for their lives. With the responsibility of leading their group to safety suddenly thrust onto Dominic's shoulders, will he be able to hold onto his humanity while ensuring their own survival?"_

 **Chapter 18: Rebirth**

* * *

"Wake up, kiddo."

The rough, husked voice pierced the air. Dominic's eyes flew open as he descended back to earth. Blurred images of shapes in the darkness pierced his eyes as they fluttered, slowly coming into focus. The brown bark of trees surrounded him, encircled around a… _fire?_ He shook his head, a numbness embedded in his skull as the orange flames tore through the lense of his glasses. Squinting, he glanced around, taking in the night sky, stars covering the ceiling of the night. The night air was warm, wrapping him up like a blanket of mist. His body shook violently as he looked around, his whereabouts and fate unclear while the sweat that covered his body dripped onto the ground.

As his vision cleared, he felt the painful stabs of rocks on his back, pinching his skin with every move of his muscles. He moved his feet, attempting to stand, but his balance was cut short when he realized his hands were tied down by a thick, tan rope. Looking down at himself, he saw his clothes had changed; his usual black hoodie and jeans were gone, replaced with military fatigues, ripped in different parts and sagging off of his shoulders, the ends covering his feet. The pain in his shoulder was gone, leaving behind a gentle sting as the wound healed. Dominic searched for the source of the voice, his eyes falling on a burly man sitting opposite the fire from him. The man's green eyes gleamed with joy in the firelight, sending a jolt of fear and pain to pulse through Dominic's veins. The man wore a thick beard, obscuring his facial features from Dominic. His face shined in the firelight, the left side of his face glowing red like the embers in the fire. The man's face was covered with severe burns, the blisters emphasized in the firelight. Looking down, he noticed the man's hands had even more blisters.

"Who are you?" Dominic spoke, his words coming out a muffled, garbled mess as the nasty taste of tape invaded his senses.

"Sorry, what was that? Couldn't hear you," The man belched out a laugh, holding a hand to his ear while flashing a yellow-toothed grin at the boy. His eyes lowered to the rifle in his hands as he spoke, admiring its beauty from stock to barrel: the paint, the long barrel, and the trigger all combining into one beautiful weapon. "You've got nothing to say that'd interest me anyway." He muttered, not looking at his captive. The man shuffled from his spot across from Dominic to a large pack leaning against a nearby tree stump, not looking up for anything but to possibly make sure he didn't step too close to the open flame. Admiring his weapon, and what he could do to his hostage, he finally looked back to the boy. An aura of hate seemed to emanate from the strange man, forcing Dominic to narrow his eyes in retaliation.

"Don't give me that look," The man fake-pouted, which forced the younger man's face to scowl even lower under the adhesive. Dominic analyzed this man standing before him; he had never seen him before, and that fact in itself worried Dominic a little. Yet, he couldn't let the unknown scare him. He wasn't about to let this man intimidate him into submission; after the Stranger, he wasn't sure anyone could.

"You're probably wondering where you are and why you're here," the man continued to mutter, taking his eyes off of Dominic to lay his rifle against the fallen log he was sitting on. "Well, you're in a forest, obviously." He sighed, glancing about the clearing before returning to Dominic, a small smile appearing on his face as he continued. "And as for why? Well, because I'm going to kill you." He smiled wide as the words escaped his mouth, as if it brought delight to reveal his plans to his hostage.

That made the boy squirm.

"Ah, seem to have struck a nerve there." He chuckled, stepping off of the log.

"Go to Hell!" Dominic screamed through the tape, only a muffled whisper making it to the man's ears.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll meet you there," he deadpanned. "You know, I admire your courage, kid." The man started, towering over him, starting his own glorious monologue before the inevitable slaughter of his captive begins. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger; smart, rebellious, capable of anything to survive. If things were different, you'd be the perfect son." The man bent down, speaking face to face, his rotting breath destroying Dominic's nostrils. "But, you killed my men in their sleep, and nearly killed me in the process, and that ain't something I can forgive."

"The fuck are you-" Dominic started, only to receive a smack across the face with the butt of the rifle, a welp forming on his cheek.

" **DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK WHEN I'M TALKING, YOU FUCKING CUNT!** " The man roared, his eyes like flaming coals against the starlight, his voice nothing but a whisper through the ringing in Dominic's skull. He felt himself hit something soft, green grass filling his sight, splotches of blood covering the blades. He struggled to lift himself up, the wind knocked out of his body, along with his spirit. He could only get a small glimpse of his attacker.

"You and I, we're not that different," the man repeated, the twisted expression on his face fading away as he sat back down on the log and toyed with his rifle once more. "We both steal, we both kill. We do everything we can for our groups. Thing is, you killed mine, so now it's time to get even."

As the man spoke, Dominic wrestled with the rope bindings, searching for an open loop, or a knife hidden in the blades of grass. "They'll scream your name as I cut them to pieces, bit by bit, until they finally breathe their last agonizing breaths, realizing too late that you had failed them. They'll curse your name even in death, I'll make sure of that."

 _You've got the wrong guy!_ Dominic screamed inside his head, desperately wanting to rip the tape off his mouth and confess his innocence to the judge. He continued to squirm, searching for a way to speak the truth to the jury, until the judge slammed his gavel down onto the wooden pad, sentencing Dominic guilty, his punishment: damnation.

"I want to watch you burn, just like my men did." The man seethed, holding back laughter. "But why wait for when we're in Hell together when I can just do it now?" As the man approached him, Dominic focused on the small opening through his Hell, and ran for it. He sledged a kick, colliding with the man, sending him stumbling backwards and landing in the grass with a loud thump. Dominic whirled onto his stomach, heaving for lost air as he crawled, a dog running from his abuser.

"Don't make this difficult, you fucking coward!" The man screamed out, spitting the dirt out of his mouth. He lunged, grabbing Dominic's leg and dragging him back to the fire. Dominic released a shrill scream, muffled to silence by the sickening tape while he struggled to kick away the man's hands.

He jerked his hands violently, sending his fingers in every direction as he slammed them against the earth. The rope loosened a bit before the man picked him up, holding him against his chest, and threw him face-first into the fire, the flames surrounding his head in mere seconds, the jury saying their final words. The tape melted quickly, before falling away from his face, giving no help to cover Dominic's tortured screams. He rolled, each twist of his body only sending his face into more of the fire. He tried to pull back, and save himself, the man only kicking him with his boot, placing him back into the searing hell. His nerves shriveled as his face melted into the flames, the burning fading away as his painful death numbed his body to the core. Beyond the flames, Dominic could hear the man's maniacal laughter, his killer unable to contain himself while watching the boy suffer.

" _Say hello to Satan for me!"_

With one final jerk of his body, Dominic died, the blackness returning for what felt like the millionth time.

" _Damn it Dom, I need you to wake up right now!"_

Just as quickly as death came, air filled his lungs as a shrill scream behind him pierced the air. A wall of moans hit him like a brick wall as the burning flames were replaced with a cold gust of wind, the inhuman chanting of the undead sending his headache into overdrive. His eyes flew open to the sight of thousands of walkers limping straight towards him, the Savannah Bridge overlooking the coming army of death.

" _Fuck."_


	19. All That Remains

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 1: Those Left Behind**

 **Chapter 19: All That Remains**

 **Day 107**

" _Fuck._ "

The word barely reached Molly's ears over the sound of crunching gravel underneath her boots and the moans growling from behind them, but it was enough to stop her dead in her tracks. The boy she had been dragging down the road suddenly seemed to come to life in front of her, groaning and stretching, his head nodding off to the sides before looking up to her and Clementine.

"Dominic!" Clementine screamed, turning from the sidewalk and rushing over to the boy, squeezing him tightly as he breathed in life.

"Ow! That's my shoulder!" Dominic winced before wrapping his arms around the little girl, sending more pain through his weakened body.

"I thought we lost you!" She blubbered, burying her face into his uninjured shoulder.

"I'm fine," Dominic soothed, patting her back before looking up at Molly. "Help me up." He hissed.

Molly gave a single nod before grabbing his hand while Clementine grabbed the other and pulled him onto his feet. The deafening moans behind them grew louder and louder with every passing second. He dared to look at the herd now swarming the dark street behind them before turning back to his group.

"We need to move," Dominic gasped, wrapping his limp arm around Molly for support, "what's the quickest way out of the city?"

"Over the bridge," Molly muttered, her eyes turning toward the massive structure in the distance, barely visible in the darkness. "There's nothing but gas stations and farms on that side of the river."

She latched her arm under Dominic's shoulder and took a step forward, the growing volume of death growling behind them sending shivers down their spines. The road seemed to be a one way ticket to safety, only to be cut short by darkness, pain, and thousands of walkers.

"Perfect," Dominic gasped, wincing in pain with each step they took, every inch like a searing flame destroying his insides. "Clem, stay close to Molly, I've got an idea."

As they rounded the corner, a lone walker came into view. Dominic begrudgingly unlatched himself from Molly before shoving himself against the nearby brick wall. The freezing stone burned his skin while he limped towards the walker.

"What the **hell** are you doing?" Molly gasped.

"Gettin' us outta here. Just… wait." Dominic gasped, lifting his knife out of its soakened holster. The steel blade felt more like a sledgehammer as he swished the silver through the air, steel colliding with undead flesh. The walker growled louder before grasping onto his shirt. Gasping, he held the knife in the air again, slicing down as hard as his body could muster before meeting head on with its skull. With a resonating thud, the beast was slain.

Molly stared in horror, her eyes bulging out of the sockets as she watched him stab the knife into the walker's chest and cut down to its stomach, the sides of the body opening like gas escaping. She gagged as he reached into the incision and pull out several blackened entrails.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Molly roared, holding her nose as he threw the organs onto the concrete, his hands shivering while the moans grew louder around them.

"It's the only way we're making it out of here alive," Dominic muttered, rubbing the blood and guts all over his jacket. "Clem and I are going to need a fresh coat of paint, you on the other hand…" He glanced up at her jacket, the colors still bright despite the life she's had to endure.

"No way," Molly wrapped her arms around her chest, her eyes narrowed in a childish glare. "No fucking way you're putting that shit on me."

" **IT'S THE ONLY WAY** ," he snapped, glaring at her with sudden anger before averting his eyes, pain taking hold. He looked back to the walker before calling for Clementine. As he rubbed more guts onto her red jacket, he continued. "The guts mask your smell, makes them think you're one of them. It smells fucking vile, but it's our only choice." He looked back, holding a fresh handful of entrails for her to paint herself with.

Molly stared at him in shock. Cutting up walkers and covering yourself with their guts? What the hell happened in the Marsh House that turned this kid completely fucking psycho? She scoffed, muttering under her breath as she fell to her knees next to the walker. "This is fucking insane."

Dominic watched as she reached out and took the clump of guts from his hands, barely able to hold back the bile rising in her throat as she scrubbed them over her jacket, the colors slowly dissolving into a monochromatic deep maroon. After they were finished covering themselves, she glared at him. "Next chance we get, I'm making _you_ do the laundry."

"Yes, mum." He mumbled back, the smell stuffing their noses already too much to bear as the two girls helped him to his feet.

She let out another scoff before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "God, I hope you're right about this."

"Just trust me," he muttered back, not daring to look behind them to see the herd spill out into the dark intersection.

Clementine grabbed Dominic's free hand as they inched forward. All the pain from losing her parents numbed her to the core, eating away what remained of her soul. She should've been crying, or angry at Dominic for not telling her that this would happen, or screaming that this wasn't fair, and she should have been dead too, but she didn't have time to dwell on it anymore. Her parents were dead, she wasn't; end of story. But should she be angry, with tears streaming down her face as she screamed at the man who tried to keep her alive all these months? Could she go on in this horrible world without the hope that she would see her mom and dad again some day? That they would hold her close like they used to? What was left in this world that kept her feet moving forward, step by step? She even lost Lee, her best friend that she had looked up to like a father. In this city of the dead, what hope could she have that he was still alive? Carley, Kenny, Christa, Omid: they were all dead as far as she knew. All she had left was Dominic and Molly, there was no one else left to take care of her. She couldn't be alone, not like how it was before. She could leave them forever, but that was just accepting her fate. Death was inevitable. All she could do was hold on for a little bit longer, and that meant sticking around for the bitter end; oh how bitter it had become. She had to stay with Dominic. She couldn't let that shred of safety go.

It wasn't too long before the highway entrance leading up to the bridge appeared in the distance, flanked by rows of crumbling homes and stores that once bustled with life. The roar of the once bustling city had been replaced by the undead chorus that seemed to surround them on all sides, sending the all-too-familiar shiver of fear down the their spines. Clementine could feel them stumbling around her, but were just out of sight beyond the veil of night. The only thing that tethered her to her group was Dominic's cold hand.

"Once we're on the other side, we find shelter," Dominic whispered to them, each word laced with pain as they continued forward, pulling the bricks laced to his ankles with each step. "We lay low until morning, hopefully the walkers won't follow us over the bridge. From there we move into the countryside and figure out where to go from there."

Over the endless mound of concrete, steel beams hung over the night sky, empowering the troupe to push forward. The whistling hum of the waters could be heard underneath their feet, sending goosebumps rising on their skin. The hanging lights had long since died months earlier, but the stars shined from the water, illuminating the path just enough.

Dominic didn't need an answer as the road slowly curved upward, the path across the bridge in clear sight. Every step they took got them closer to freedom beyond the bridge of Savannah, and toward their new life.

* * *

Kenny was nothing but a broken man. He knew it; Lee knew it; hell, the whole damn group knew it. Everything that he held onto for hope vanished day after day, slipping through his fingers.. The boat, his family… what even kept him going in this eternal hell? He couldn't even answer his own question anymore. All he ever did was blame others for his own mistakes, the lives he's lost, and now they've come back to bite him in the ass. There was nothing left to live for; it was just survival now. Kenny needed something to _**live**_ for, something to make every step he took worth something, and every breath he gasped not wasted: so that hope became Clementine. If she died, it was all over. He couldn't handle another death in the group, and neither could Lee. For both their sakes, they _**had**_ to find her.

So it came to no surprise that they made it to the Marsh House unscathed by the horrors below them, driven by the only thing left in the world that mattered: their family. Kenny has lost his biological family, but if there was one thing that the apocalypse has taught him, is that family was not always about blood. His heart sank after he realized it, nothing but a cold, numbing feeling filling his gut. He had been too busy focusing on a boat to realize that he had alienated the only family he had left. He failed his real family before, but couldn't let that happen again. He was going to find that little girl, and reunite her with Lee, and everything would be alright and they can escape the city together. Like a _family_.

"Look at this walker," Carley's voice forced Kenny out of his thoughts. He and Lee had barged into the hotel without a second thought, until Carley's voice stopped them cold. Glancing around, it seemed as if they had stumbled into the aftermath of a warzone. Blood covered the walls, and bodies were strewn in every direction. Wet, bloody footprints could be seen tracing throughout the building; two distinct trails left behind in the aftermath, one smaller than the other, and one muddled in the middle going in the opposite direction.

"There's another one over here," Christa muttered, staring at the cadavers strewn across the the hallway, stab wounds covering the majority of them. "looks like someone stabbed them all in the forehead."

"Could be Dominic, right?" Omid stuttered, staying close to his girlfriend, "didn't he have a knife?" He gazed earnestly at the bodies, hoping the answer would suddenly appear.

"Probably cut his way through a dozen of them to get here," Lee whispered, glancing at the corpses before continuing down the hallway.

"At least the kid did _something_ right," Kenny growled, barely aware of himself kicking the walker before following Lee, his footsteps echoing louder than any other.

They continued down the hallway until they found the stairwell, where two more bodies lay stabbed, dried blood sticking to their skulls. Lee and the rest quietly stepped over the corpses, an ajar door further down the hallway catching his eye. Kenny followed suit, kicking the corpse to shove it out of the way before a slow, muffled hissing sound reverberated from the walker's lips. Kenny's eyes instantly fell onto the walker as the sound reached his ears, his glock already aimed at the cadaver. When the walker made no more moves or noises, he turned back toward Lee. Lee froze as he noticed another dead walker sprawled in the middle of open doorway. Carley let out a gasp when she saw the guts strewn around the walker, as if something or someone had cut it open and ripped out its insides. Christa held back the rising vomit as she held onto Omid, who shook in fear while laying his head against her shoulder.

"Are we still sure this is Dominic?" Carley mumbled, burying her face into Lee, hiding the horror, or stench, from herself. Lee didn't answer, instead he tiptoed over the walker and into the room. Furniture was thrown in every direction, and shattered glass and splintered wood lay in the corners and on the sides of the room. There were signs of a struggle everywhere he looked. It didn't take but a second to find the dead body laying on the floor by the closet, wood covering his chest and a crushed radio sitting atop the man's bloody face. This was the Stranger Dominic had warned them about, Lee was sure of it, but where were Dominic and Clementine?

"Lee?" Carley called for him, the chairs in the middle of the room blocking her view of the body. "Lee, what is it?"

"The Stranger," Lee stated, turning back to them, "looks like someone killed him. Maybe Dominic. Gunshot to the forehead." He confirmed, glancing over the single hole in his forehead. "Must've been the gunshots we heard earlier."

"Any sign of where Clem and Dom are?" Christa added.

Lee sighed, realizing now that they were gone. Without a radio, it will be impossible to find them now. The bloody footprints leading out of the room were their only lead, and it'd only get them so far. "They're gone." He whispered.

That final statement poisoned the air, hanging over them like a thick fog of anger and hopelessness. Lee held his head high in the air and took in a deep breath, swallowing as much poison as his lungs could consume. Gasping for a final breath, his vision went to a blurry haze of resentment and burning revenge. His fist swung out to the beats of his dead heart, only to collide with solid concrete. Wheezing in pain and poison, he collapsed onto the floor, the pain in his throat and wrists throwing his brain into overdrive. _They're gone. They're gone…_

"Lee!" Carley gasped, immune to the anger consuming the room, ran over to the fuming man. "Lee, we can still find them!"

"No, we can't," Lee hissed, his eyes fixed on the ground beneath him, seeing nothing but red tears falling on the floor. "You see those footprints? We didn't see any outside. There's no way they made it through all those walkers out there on the street. They're dead." He wailed.

Her eyes fell to the floor as he weeped, realizing, to her dismay, that he may be _**right**_. She laid her head on his shoulder as the man started to cry. Kenny found himself unable to move as his last hope was torn to pieces. No one said a word as he stormed out of the room, immune, as well, to the poison that was anger that hung in the room, since he, of all of them, had been consumed by it long ago.

* * *

 **Day 108**

The march seemed to last hours, the two girls dragging Dominic out of the city and over the river, depression and melancholy tears replacing the brutal fear that kept them moving in the city. The moonlight gave just enough light for the trio to cross the bridge, leaving their problems only stumbling past cars and the occasional corpse that met its untimely death. None of them had eaten in hours, leaving the girls peckish while carrying Dominic, and Dominic himself was starving. There was only a few morsels of food left in Molly's pack before they would be forced to scavenge for more in the wasteland, so they decided to walk on empty stomachs, praying to whatever gods that food would be found soon enough.

As they stumbled forward, inch by inch, Molly thought about Dominic's outburst earlier, replaying it over in her head. Something about it worried her, as if the boy she came back for had disappeared completely in that hotel. _What happened in the Marsh House?_ Even Clementine seemed different; the once innocent little girl had grown quiet, her yellow eyes scanning the horizon for walkers rather than for her parents or whatever other hope that the girl held onto. They were different, and that concerned Molly more than any amount of geeks could.

In the darkness, after what seemed like hours, they came across a gas station. The windows had been knocked out, and it could've been their luck that the building had been wiped clean already. Dust piled onto the surface, and the once bright blue and grey concrete was now only a dull tinge of brown, just like every other building in post-apocalyptic America.

"Check the locks?" Molly asked Clementine as she ran towards a car stalled beside one of the gas pumps. Clementine guided Dominic towards the door, leaning him against the dirt colored concrete as she tried the door; it opened swiftly. They huddled inside no sooner than for Molly to sweep inside before the door clicked shut.

"Nothing, all dry." She breathed before dropping her backpack and moving onward to search the store.

"No surprise," Dominic groaned, "if it still worked, someone would've taken it already." Clementine only nodded in agreement as she stared outside, keeping watch. The muscles in her face hardly moved an inch while she checked down both sides of the road; the faint whisper of the river only gnawing at her nerves, and the uncertainty of the unknown only bit them closer.

"Can you be a little bit cheery for once?" Molly retorted before hopping over the counter, finding nothing but stale cigarettes and pointless junk stuffed into the cabinets. Dominic slid down the wall, groaning as his body hit the floor with a thud. Forcing Clementine out of her sniper position, she inspected him, drawing back his shirt and checking the wound on his shoulder.

"Shit." She whispered, noticing, after only a few short hours, his skin had dropped a multitude of color tones. Once a dusted tan, now as grey as a dead body, with the only difference being he had no bite marks...yet.

"Swear," Dominic breathed with a faint smile. He looked up at her, her form barely visible through his blurred vision, his smile widening even further as the realization settled within him: he's finally rescued her. After all of the searching, and heartbreak, and damn near insanity, she was _safe_.

"It's doesn't look good." She whispered, the small smile that played on her face reverting back into the familiar frown as she reached into Molly's backpack and grabbed the alcohol. She wasn't exactly sure what to do, but Dominic wasn't in the position to help himself, and Molly was too busy scavenging to help her.

"Don't worry, Clemmy." Dominic whispered, still struggling to breathe correctly. "I'll be fine."

"Clemmy? God, you're terrible at nicknames," Molly muttered with a laugh.

"Whatever you say, Lara Croft." Dominic muttered. She stared at him briefly before he had to point out the climbing axe. "Jesus Molly, play more video games."

She rolled her eyes, hopping back over the counter. The store shelves were mostly empty thanks to scavengers, but a few scraps of food and junk dotted the store, including a couple bags of potato chips and some discarded bottles of water (no doubt left behind in a panic). She sighed as she picked them up. _It'll have to do._ The cold winds chilled the air with an eerie whistle as she handed the food to Clementine, who then handed some to Dominic. They huddled together in the corner as they tore open the bags and crunched on the stale chips. The moonlight barely illuminated the interior, only adding to the sense of fear and anxiety bubbling at the surface of their minds. Molly looked up at Dominic, who mindlessly munched on the chips, before finally breaking the silence.

"So, what happened in there?"

"Hell," Dominic muttered, barely aware of his own words as he tore into the bag like a wolf.

"Really? Sounds like fun," Molly remarked, already getting tired of this angry attitude this boy had adopted. "There's gotta be more to it than that."

"There was," Dominic muttered, his eyes falling to the floor as he spoke. "But you wouldn't understand. I watched as he… he…" his voice trailed off as he fought back tears, every second spent inside that hotel pushing to the surface before he forced them away. "It doesn't matter anymore," He mumbled as he wiped away the tears. "He's dead."

Clementine looked up at him in fear, her mind replaying the events that transpired inside the hotel room. Was it all true? Was the Stranger really some sort of time traveler that killed her over and over again in front of Dominic's eyes? It was the only thing that made sense; everything the Stranger had been talking about about Travelers seemed to verify it. But the Stranger had said that Dominic was also a Traveler, so does that mean that Dominic is a Time Traveler too? If he was, couldn't he just go back and fix everything and find Lee and make everything alright again? She was too scared to ask him about it. Instead, she looked up to her guardian and mumbled in a flat tone, "So where do we go now?"

Dominic hesitated for a moment, his mind filing through everything he knew was to come before finally settling on a single goal. "We move north, it's the only way. There's a community called Wellington, somewhere near Ohio or Michigan, it'll be the only truly safe place to go."

"Ohio?!" Molly laughed at the thought. If Georgia was this cold during winter, she couldn't imagine being somewhere like Ohio. "We'll freeze to death up there!"

"So will the walkers, so it's a win-win." Dominic deadpanned, shooting a glare at her before tossing the empty bag on the floor.

She let out a frustrated sigh before standing up. "Fuck this, I'm gonna go get us some firewood or something." They watched as she disappeared into the darkness, her angry whispers about how 'fucking stupid' it is to go north barely reaching their ears.

A loud bang of a door slamming echoed inside the store, leaving only an uncomfortable silence in its wake. Clementine's eyes returned to Dominic as she asked her next question. "What about Lee?"

"I want to go back and look for them, I really do," Dominic sighed, "but chances are… they didn't make it. I don't want to take you back into the city on a small chance that they've survived. I-I can't lose you too... All we can do is move on, even if we don't like it."

"I'm scared," Clementine whispered to him.

"Me too," Dominic admitted, stretching his tired muscles before looking back at her. "Clem, I don't know how much you actually heard in there, but there's more to what happened than I let on. The Stranger was a Time Traveler…"

"I know," Clementine replied softly, a small smile appearing on her face as Dominic stared at her in surprise. "My parents always said I was very smart…"

"That you are." They both laughed for a moment before Dominic continued, "But there's something else I need to tell you, about the future…"

"Okay," Clementine mumbled back, ready for whatever he was going to say. She watched as Dominic took a deep breath, readying himself for his reveal.

"I don't know how, or why, but I think I've been having 'visions' of the future," he whispered, "the first one happened the night Lee and the others went into Crawford."

"When you passed out?" Clementine asked as Dominic nodded in response.

"I was in a forest; it was cold, and I could see a fire in the distance… when I got there, I found this young woman just sitting there, cooking some sort of animal. I couldn't see who she was at first, but when she turned around to face me… I saw the cap," he pointed toward Clementine's beloved hat, "it was you. Eight years from now."

This took Clementine by surprise as her eyes grew wider. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Dominic admitted. "It felt so strange, I could feel the cold wind and the warmth from the fire; the moisture in the air as a storm blew in. The weirdest part was talking to you, you had changed so much. I was kind of proud of how you turned out, especially after I found out I was still around, taking care of you," he sighed as he slumped against the tiled wall. "What I'm not so proud of is who I became... "

Clementine continued to sit there and listen as her guardian went on about this vision. If anyone else told her they had visions of the future, she'd probably not believe them, but Dominic had always been one step ahead of everyone else, even she saw that. In a strange way, it all made sense.

"You know that strange feeling you get when you look at someone who's literally like a twin of you?" Dominic rolled his eyes at his own question. "Of course not, but that's how it felt seeing myself come out of the woods. It's as if you're having an out-of-body experience, but at the same time, it's different because this person who looks just like you is eight years older than you, but is you at the same time. They know more about you than anyone else could because they _are_ you. It's kind of poetic when you think about it."

"But I saw immediately just how much I changed. Excluding the whole 'older' thing and the scars, I was a completely different person. This fucking world," He stopped mid-sentence as if expecting Clementine to mutter 'swear' at him, but the silence merely made him frown. "This world turns the best people into monsters, and that's who I had become. It sickened me. Did I turn into a monster through necessity, or am I just naturally twisted?" His rhetorical question hung in the air for a moment.

He let out a deep sigh, his throat starting to dry up from all the talking, but he just couldn't stop now. The floodgates have opened and he needed someone to confess to, so why not Clementine? "That was just the first vision; the second one is something that must've crawled out of the depths of hell, and I'm not even sure if it's supposed to be before or after that first one…"

"What happened?" Clementine asked, scratching her arm slightly.

"This one felt different than the last," Dominic began, taking a moment to look out the broken windows, making sure Molly was still out of earshot. "In the first one, I was still wearing the clothes I'm in now, and it felt as if my gunshot wound wasn't even there. But this one, I was in some sort army uniform, and the pain from the wound was mostly gone, but still hurt as if it _was_ there. My mouth was taped shut so I couldn't tell if my voice was deeper or anything, but I think in this vision I was seeing events from my future self's eyes. And- and I died…"

"Died?" Clementine repeated, her eyes falling to the floor as the image of her protector dying formed in her mind. She couldn't lose him too, not after her parents and maybe Lee as well. She just couldn't.

"This guy: green eyes and a bushy brown beard, with burns all across his face. He said that I killed his men, burned them alive. Then, he killed me." Everything that the strange man had said came rushing back into his mind at lightning speed, sending shivers down his spine. "I- I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen… I don't care if it happens next month or the next decade. I won't let him do what he was going to do."

Clementine couldn't think of anything to say at this point, so she resorted to looking up at him sadly. He smiled as he wrapped an arm around her, "Thanks for hearing me out, Clem. Everything that's happened since we got into Savannah has been just eating me inside out."

"It's okay," Clementine mumbled back, trying to hold back the tears she felt welling up in her eyes.

"Yeah," Dominic breathed, hardly able to believe his next sentence as it poured out of his mouth. "I'll fix everything. It'll all be okay."

* * *

The hotel room fell into an uncomfortable silence as the hours went by. Lee's eyes were fixed on the floorboards, his hands balled into fists as he clenched them tightly, his knuckles turning from tanned brown to white. The world seemed to fade away around him; the wind, the continuous moans of the dead, even his own breathing ceased to exist. The world became nothing more than silence. Horrific, agonizing silence. He hardly noticed Carley sitting next to him, her head inclined against the peeling wall. She watched him with a deepened frown, her stomach tying itself in knots as worry took over. This was it. Dominic and Clementine were most likely dead. Kenny, after storming out of the hotel hours earlier, was most likely dead. Omid, Christa, Lee, and her… they were all that were left. There was fourteen of them in total, some who were late additions to the group, but now there were only four. Four survivors with nothing left to live for, and no way out. What little hope remained in her heart was torn to pieces. A part of her wanted to grasp for anything to hold on to, but she knew that it was useless. It was over.

"Hey guys, uh…" Omid's voice had the same effect as a gunshot as Lee and Carley jolted at the sound.

"There's something you guys should know," Christa added, finishing her boyfriend's sentence.

"What is it?" Lee croaked, his voice barely a whisper as he grasped for a bottle of water in his pack.

"I'm…" she hesitated, trying to decide whether or not she should really say it out loud. "I'm pregnant."

What little hope they had left seemed to rekindle as they looked up at her in surprise.


	20. Prey

**Author's Notes: WORD OF WARNING: This chapter is rated M. Insane gore, and lots of cursing. Read at your own risk.**

* * *

 **Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 1: Those Left Behind**

 **Chapter 20: Prey**

* * *

 **Day 330**

"What the hell are we doing out here, JJ?" Terry mumbled as he followed his older brother through the sea of trees. The smell of sweat and dirt staining their bodies punctured his nose as they fumbled through the forest. Their legs ached like they'd been walking for miles, the smashing of twigs and debris under their sneakers played on repeat in the back of their minds until their brains tuned out the noise before they imploded in on themselves from sheer boredom. Sweat stuck to their skin as they walked, soaking the shirts on their backs until they clung to their bodies like glue.

JJ let out a short laugh before turning back to his brother. "Hunting, remember? I said I'd teach you how to hunt last week."

"But do we have to do it _now_?" Terry groaned. "Jesse wanted me to help her with inventory…"

"Man, fuck that. Do you seriously want to be spending your entire day checking canned food off a list? I know you've got a thing for her, but come on. **Boring**." JJ scoffed as he toyed with the fancy hunting rifle in his hands. "Leave that to the women, hunting is a real man's job." He spoke, snapping a twig on the last word with such ferocity that the sound echoed throughout the forest. Terry looked into the trees, turning his head to avoid the radiant sun shining down on them, scorching their already dark skin from above. Birds flew overhead, the whispers of their song filling their ears, only to be replaced by the echo of the brush they trampled, and the rest of nature's soundtrack.

"That's fucking stupid," Terry grumbled as he trailed his brother, "and a little bit sexist."

"It's the fucking apocalypse, Terry, deal with it. Everyone's got a role in the group, mine just so happens to be hunting and scavenging. And so will yours." He spoke with confidence and certainty, he wasn't going to have his brother be weakened to a gardener or some shit like that; they were hunters, and that's what they would do.

"But I don't like being out here," Terry shot back at his brother, "it's too dangerous!"

"Come on T, most of the roamers are downtown, not out here in the sticks," JJ laughed, "you really need to get over your fear of them. It'll just get you killed."

"We have walls, why can't we just stay behind them where they can't get in?" Terry whined, forcing JJ to roll his eyes before scanning the horizon, a tiny flame burning in his throat before turning back to his younger brother with a look of contempt.

" _Because_ Terry. What happens when we run out of food and you're too pussy to get out there and get some? We can't just eat each other." JJ snapped as he pointed a finger in Terry's direction. "Do I have to do _all_ the work? Seriously, man the fuck up! You're just like mom and dad."

Silence took over as Terry stared at his brother in disgust. "Man, fuck you."

"You wouldn't be here without me," JJ reminded him, taking a step towards his little brother. "Mom and Dad were too chickenshit to save themselves; what did you expect me to do? I couldn't save all of you."

"They didn't have a fucking clue what was going on!" Terry snapped, his blood boiling at the mention of their parents. "Just because you're a 'tough soldier' doesn't mean you're fucking better than them. You know how it was like in Atlanta, how the roamers ate anyone they could get their hands on! Don't you blame Mom and Dad for not seeing that coming! None of us saw it coming!" Terry breathed heavily as the words escaped his mouth while his brother merely gazed at him in light interest.

"You done?" JJ breathed slowly, scanning the surroundings, trying to see if anything was left after Terry's short fit.

"Let's just get this over with so I can go home," Terry growled, stomping through the trees.

"Okay then, Mr. I'm-Too-Stuck-Up-a-Girl's-Ass-to-Hang-Out-With-My-Brother, take this," JJ shoved the rifle into Terry's hands, giving the younger boy a smug look before marching off further into the woods.

"Jesus Christ," Terry mumbled under his breath, hastily following his brother as the older boy whistled softly to the beat of his footsteps. "You're gonna get us both killed." He hissed.

* * *

It wasn't too long before the two brothers stumbled across a large buck deep in the forest. Before Terry could react, JJ pushed the boy back behind a tree, just out of sight of the deer, knocking off Terry's prized Atlanta Falcons baseball cap in the process.

"What the fuck dude?" Terry breathed as his brother shot him a look of exasperation.

"Quiet!" JJ hissed, peering around the large tree before turning back to his brother. "There's your target, bro. Think you can hit a deer from 50 yards?"

"Fuck, I don't know," Terry mumbled, picking back up his cap and fumbling with the rifle, the metal and wood clanking in his hands. "Maybe?"

"Good, follow me," JJ breathed as he took one more peek around the tree, noticing that the deer had turned away from them now. "You're gonna want to aim somewhere that'll either kill it or cripple it for the final blow," he explained softly, staring his brother in the eye. "I'd say the heart, but at this distance, I doubt you'll even hit him at all."

"Funny," Terry muttered, raising the rifle.

"Hey, just sayin'. You're not that good a shot yet," JJ retorted before continuing his lesson.

"Stand here," he pointed to a spot just beyond the tree with a direct line of sight on the buck. Terry begrudgingly did as he was told. "Okay, line up your sight with the buck, aim for the neck, it's an easier shot and will still manage to cripple it with one bullet. Hold the rifle steady but make sure you don't tense up."

Terry stood in the spot his brother spotted out for him. Gripping the rifle firmly, and keeping his hand off the trigger, he lifted the weapon up to his shoulders. Looking down at the ground, he shuffled his footing, spreading his feet a shoulder width apart. Looking back at the buck, he loosened his grip, sliding his finger over the trigger guard, and took a deep breath.

"Good, just like that." JJ hissed in his ear, watching his brother get into position. Terry followed every order given to him as his brother continued to whisper in his ear. "Now, take the shot."

Terry peered down the scope of the rifle as the buck came into focus. He watched as it munched at the grass beneath its feet, blissfully unaware of the hunters lurking nearby. It was a strangely beautiful sight, as if the apocalyptic world ceased to exist here. For a brief moment, Terry hesitated, until something caught his eye. A movement in the woods from his left forced him to swerve the scope in its direction. In between the tree branches, a rotting corpse stumbled towards the buck, no doubt wanting nothing more than to feast on its flesh. Terry froze in place as he watched the roamer inch closer and closer to the majestic creature, who continued to snack on the browning grass below. His mind went into overdrive as he tried desperately to think of what to do. He had a gun, he wasn't defenseless, he wasn't going to die, but that buck…

Now he was left with a choice. Shoot the buck and risk the roamer getting to it first, or shoot the roamer and risk the buck getting away. He must've twitched slightly as JJ seemed to appear next to him.

"Terry, come on! Take the shot before it gets away!" He hissed.

His heart pulsed uncontrollably as he stuttered. "J-Jordan… there's a roamer…" Terry breathed as his eyes grew wider, "i-it's going for the deer!"

"God damn it, just shoot the fucking deer!" JJ seethed, nearly deafening Terry and forcing the boy to pull the trigger in response. The crack of the bullet deafened him even further as it pierced its way into the roamer's rotting brain. With the element of surprise gone, the buck sprinted deeper into the forest and out of harm's way.

" **DAMN IT TERRY, YOU SHOT THE WRONG FUCKING TARGET!** " JJ screeched as he yanked the rifle out of his brother's hands.

"I'm sorry! I-I just panicked!" Terry tried to shout back, only to be shoved against the tree, the wind escaping him like a popped balloon.

" **NEXT TIME, SHOOT THE DEER FIRST, THEN THE ROAMER! YOU STUPID FUCKING-** " His rant died on his tongue as a scream of pain suddenly erupted from his throat. The two brothers turned in sync to see another roamer clamping its teeth onto JJ's arm. It was Terry's turn to scream.

JJ kicked at the roamer, trying desperately to remove the undead thing from his arm as his mind quickly erupted into a frantic haze. As he hit the roamer with the butt of his rifle, another bullet pierced the air, burying its way into the roamer's eyeball. They stared in shock as the cadaver fell to the floor with a thud, leaving them speechless before looking around for the source of the shot. JJ yelped as pain shot through his body from the bite wound on his arm.

"Holy fuck!" Terry gasped as his eyes fell onto the bite, it was just above the elbow and glowed a bright red as blood began to ooze out.

JJ swiveled around quickly as a crack of a twig reverberated behind him, raising the rifle as he did so. Two men stood there with their hands raised. The taller one had short brown hair and wore a camo jacket and a pair of black cargo pants. The shorter one, a Mexican, had black hair down to his neck line, dressed almost in the same manner. Both had their hands raised as JJ aimed the rifle at them, the Mexican holding a revolver in his right hand.

"Whoa there homie," the taller man drawled in a southern accent, "we're not here to hurt ya. We're friendly." He nodded, taking a few more steps toward the brothers.

"Back off!" JJ grunted through the pain, his gun unwavering.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey," The Mexican quickly interjected. "We just saved you from that biter, man. Look, I'm putting the gun down," he slowly plopped the pistol onto the grass, looking at his friend to do the same. Reluctantly, the taller man sighed and dropped his rifle next to his friend's weapon. "We just noticed that you needed some help," the mexican explained. JJ didn't move an inch as he studied the two, noticing their clothes were spotless, and they seemed well fed.

"Bro, they're unarmed, you can calm down," Terry muttered in his brother's ear.

"The fuck you doing out here?" JJ spat at the two strangers.

"Hunting, same as you," the Mexican replied simply before his eyes went to JJ's bitten arm. "Shit dude, you're gonna want to amputate that quickly."

"Why the fuck would I do that?" JJ deadpanned, narrowing his eyes as he analyzed their words with skepticism.

"Well, if you want to die from the virus, by all means," he muttered in a neutral tone, "just tryin' to save you the hassle."

"Bullshit," JJ growled before Terry grabbed his arm, "What?"

"I don't want to lose you, man. Listen to them…" Terry spluttered out, not quite sure what to say to convince his brother.

"What the fuck do they know, huh? I'd rather go down fighting than let them mutilate me," he countered, gripping the rifle harder between his fingers, itching to pull the fucking trigger.

"A guy in our group got bit once," the taller man spoke up, "cut 'is arm off real quick. He's still kicking it today."

Silence fell upon the scene as JJ glared at the strangers. The shorter man let out a heavy sigh as he took a step back. "Listen, the name's Adrian, and this is Dennis," he pointed to the tall southerner. "We've got a group not too far away, if you let us help you, we can get you there real quick to make sure you don't bleed out and then you can just go home in the morning. Sun's already going down anyway."

Terry looked up at his brother, who continued to glare at the strangers. "Come on bro, what else you got to lose?"

"My arm?" He shot back, not taking his eyes off of them.

"Better the arm than your life, man," Terry added, their earlier arguments almost completely forgotten as he begged for his brother to save his own life.

"Listen, if you don't want us doing it, you can do it, or your brother," Adrian muttered, unsheathing a machete from his belt and tossing it onto the ground. "We're not the bad guys here," he continued.

"I-I'll do it," Terry stated hesitantly as he picked up the machete, the long, paper-thin steel shaking in his hand as he turned back to his brother.

JJ sighed before looking down at his brother. "No, it's alright, I can do it." He snatched the machete from Terry before placing his arm against a fallen log nearby. " _Shit, man. This fucking sucks_ ," he breathed as he held the blade in the air, mentally preparing himself for the pain.

Terry and the strangers watched in silence as JJ stared at his arm. The teeth marks were deep, the bright red gush of blood now stained with sweat, dirt, and oozing out a darker tint. With hesitation, he lifted the blade, the sheet of steel reflecting the sunlight into his eyes while he took one last look at his arm. The blood had stained his skin, a dark brown hue now changed to a bright red, all the way down to his fingertips. His nails were consumed with mud and dirt, JJ couldn't remember the last time his nails had been clean.

With one final breath, and a racing heart, JJ stopped thinking for one crucial second. In one sheer moment he sliced down on his arm, opening his eyes again just in time to see the fingers he had just been staring at plop onto the grass.

* * *

Terry couldn't help but stare at his brother's stump of an arm as they walked together in the blinding darkness. The bandages had been applied so quickly, it had taken duct tape to finish off the bloodied ends. The white strips wrapped around his brown skin up and around his shoulder, with the bloodstain starting over midway down his arm. What began as a simple, bright red wrapping eventually turned into a deep red bath of pain and torture, finished off with a sterilized pad and screams of agony.

As soon as the arm was severed, Adrian and Dennis had pulled out the medical supplies, but things got difficult when they tried to apply it themselves.

" _ **DON'T YOU FUCKIN' DARE!**_ _"_

 _"We're only tryin' to he-" Adrian pleaded, pouring the hydrogen peroxide onto the pad, ready to get the blood work over with._

 _"I don't give a rat's ass! Terry, get these fuckers away from me." JJ screamed, tears rolling down his face, his body sprawled out on the log, deep maroon liquid dripping from his severed arm._

 _"Okay, okay, damn." Terry muttered, turning to the strangers before extending his hand out. "Give me the bandages."_

 _"Do you even know how to-?" Dennis whispered, raising an eyebrow._

 _"Just give me the fucking bandages." Terry deadpanned, ripping the supplies from their grips._

 _So Terry was forced to do it all himself; he held the sterilized cloth onto his brother's arm, hearing his screams as he wrapped the wound tightly with gauze, yet having to apply more layers immediately when it got soaked with blood in seconds._

 _"Just hurry up already!" Adrian belched, taking the tape from his bag and doing several rounds around JJ's immediate wound, holding another soaked bandage wrapped in place permanently. Except, this time, JJ just laid on the log, discolored and out of breath from all the screaming as Adrian taped the wrap to the exposed meat of what was left of his elbow._

Sometimes, JJ's distrust of strangers really got on Terry's nerves. At first, it was justified. They didn't know who these men were, or what they wanted, but to him they were just survivors like them who were trying to do the right thing and save a stranger's life. Terry admired these men for that; they didn't need to help, but they chose to. And now, nearly an hour after the bite, JJ was fine. Well, as fine as you could be with a missing arm.

"So y'all got a camp nearby?" Adrian asked the question as if not expecting a response, interrupting Terry's thoughts and the steady drumbeat of their footsteps.

"That's none of your business," JJ muttered, exhausted and stumbling through the forest, with Terry holding his older brother to the best of his ability.

Adrian sighed before looking at the now one-armed man walking beside his shorter brother. "You don't trust us, I get that. But if we're taking you in for the night, I need to know that you're not just some grunts working for an insane dictator or something. We've had our fair share of run-ins with groups like that. I'm sure you understand."

"I didn't realize it was that bad out here," Terry mumbled, staring at his feet. Terry's group had always been welcoming of newcomers, and even welcomed JJ and himself with open arms despite his brother's rash behavior. He thought that maybe everyone was like that, but the reality of the situation is that they were in the minority. Anyone who's survived this long aren't alive because they're the good guys, but because they're inhuman and thrive on the will to survive. You get the exceptions on occasion, like Terry's group and Adrian's, but people like them, they just weren't made for this world anymore.

"Yeah, it's pretty fuckin' bad alright," Dennis spoke up, glancing back at Terry as they walked. "There was this town not too far from here, ran by this guy with an eyepatch, crazy motherfucker. Apparently gunned down most of his group who fled from a fight with this other crazy group, then burned the town to the ground. We've come across survivors every so often who tell horror stories about 'im. Anyway, we know nothing about you or your group, so forgive us for being cautious."

Terry and JJ exchanged a worried glance before turning back to the two men. "We're nothing like that," JJ finally declared.

"Glad to hear it," Adrian replied in a cheerful tone. "We're comin' up on the camp now. The guys aren't used to strangers, so stick close to us for now. We'll talk to the boss about arranging you a place to sleep for the night and then come morning, you're free to go home."

A few steps later, the group came to a clearing, the trees exposing an exquisite sight; a deserted street and a large building. Terry and JJ stumbled through, watching their steps as the ground was littered with trash of every kind; bags, paper, etc. The street had fewer cars than most, leaving them unusually stranded in the outskirts of town. A second later, Adrian and Dennis stumbled through the clearing.

"Ain't she a beauty?" Dennis whispered in Terry's ear, staring at the building.

"I guess." Terry stuttered, looking at the enormity of the factory.

The outside of the complex gave an overall sense of a mix between a mental institution and a early 20th century factory. The windows were a multitude of shapes of extended ovals or rectangles, most of them were broken, with shards of glass striking out and gleaming in the moonlight. Some of the bricks had long since collapsed into untidy piles, leaving holes in the brick wall that ran alongside the road. To top it all off, dark splotches of mold grew in between the cracks, completing the post-apocalyptic picture like a finished puzzle. Every inch of the factory screamed dangerous, as if a pack of cannibalistic monsters would suddenly appear and take them away, but they both knew that was just illogical fear toying with their minds.

"We found this place a few weeks back," Adrian explained as they approached the brick fence. "It ain't pretty, but we've got it pretty secure. Stick close." He muttered.

They followed the fence around, listening to their feet echo on the concrete and sing into the moonlight air. Never had being quiet ever taken so much skill; the world itself was silent. The bats inside the cave did not stir, nor did the wolves howl at the moon, not even a cricket chirping in the forest could be heard from the brick fence. Terry shuffled behind JJ, following Adrian and Dennis along the fenceline, miniscule shards of shattered brick crunching under their feet.

His muscles tensed with every shard they had to step over, as if something would spring from within the bricks and latch onto him, leaving the eyes on the back of Adrian's head to abandon them if he pleased. Terry could feel them watching him, waiting for a moment to strike, or to see if he and JJ would run from safety. Or is a factory like this even the definition of safety at all?

Terry and JJ followed until Adrian and Dennis led them beside a large black gate cut into the brick fence, reinforced by duct tape and and makeshift barbed wire. Rust was evident, even in the moonlight, decorating the gate from years of abandonment. The dust had piled in layers, easily corroded away in the middle where handprints were easily visible, whenever part of their troupe or newcomers tried to enter. Adrian quickly plunged his hand into his pocket and pulled out a silver key, fiddling with the thick lock before an audible click resounded in the quiet air. Pushing open the gate, Adrian waved them inside and kept watch on the treeline behind them. As they entered the courtyard, Dennis and Adrian glanced at each other, pulling the gate shut behind them.

JJ inspected the courtyard with the eye of a detective as they were escorted towards a large black door embedded in the wall of the factory. Within the contained walls of rusted brick was a small path to the front door. On either side of the concrete pathway, were trees standing in the night air, with grass plotted off in a usual fashion. Behind the factory was a small, narrow, alleyway, where the supposed workers used to take their breaks, or even do more labor behind the building, Terry figured. With each step, he noticed the branches were dead, hanging on by rotten skin, some only by threads of splintered wood. The grass was not growing in the courtyard, but decaying. With the remains of the shattered windows glimmering along the path, Terry could see blotches of nothing but dirt and mud along the road.

As Adrian stepped off of the concrete, and onto the stone steps, his keys ready in hand to open the door, his flashlight shone over a darkened trail of blood leading away from the door. JJ's eyes narrowed as he grabbed Terry's arm and held on to him tight as they were led inside the factory. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a faint glow of firelight coming from within. The room itself was plunged into an eternal darkness, old machinery and crumbling concrete were littered across the floor, lost and forgotten long ago. To their right, a large campfire burned in the center of a group of pitched tents. Across the room, on the second floor, another faint light from a candle revealed a small office overlooking the main floor: the boss's office, the brothers presumed. As the door closed behind them, the sounds of echoed footsteps and racing hearts seemed to fade away behind them as the faint sounds of civilization crescendoed to a calming piano of laughter and excited whispers. Several men moved within the small camp in the center of the room until the clang of the door forced their eyes to turn toward the newcomers.

"Who the fuck are these people Adrian?" A voice called from beyond the fire; a large, burly man, also missing an arm, throwing his plate on the concrete floor, the sound echoing throughout the hall before stepping towards them.

"Whoa Mitch, calm down," Adrian hissed, getting in between the newcomers and his group. "Everyone! This is Terry and Jordan. They got attacked by some biters, so we helped them out." Everyone stared at them in silence before Mitch piped up once again.

"That's pretty fuckin' stupid, don't ya think?" Mitch growled, throwing an accusing finger in Terry's direction, sending the young boy's stomach into his throat. "We don't take people in no more, boy."

"Back off, Mitch," Everything seemed to die down in an instant as another voice rang out from behind the bickering men. A man with a thick brown beard stepped toward them from within the tiny civilization, dressed in a similar fashion to the rest of the strangers. His green eyes inspected the newcomers briefly before returning to Mitch and Adrian.

"Sir, with all due respect…" Mitch started, taking a step back from his boss.

"Sit down and finish your meal, Mitchell, or I'll make you sit down." The stranger snapped, his eyes flashing a look of death, but only for the moment, before returning to the newcomers. The larger man growled before staring in the newcomers' direction, his fists clenching as he stormed off towards the fire.

"Not big on welcomes I see," JJ muttered out loud.

"Mitchy over there is a bit of a prick," the stranger continued, straightening himself. "Don't let him get to you. Name's Henry Simmons, I run this shithole." The man extended his hand towards the newcomers, who each reciprocated slowly.

"I'm Jordan, and this is Terry," JJ continued, trying to keep as civil as he could, but the way that man Mitch continued to stare at them from the campfire, he could tell this group was going to be trouble, not like the courtyard had explained enough.

"Welcome to the camp," Simmons smiled before turning to Adrian and Dennis, "so what happened out there?"

"We were scoutin' the area like you told us," Dennis stated, "saw a deer in the woods that could've made a mighty fine meal. Then we saw these two getting attacked by biters." He answered, giving short glances to the new guys after every sentence.

"They've got a camp not too far away, but JJ over here got bit by one of them, so Terry had to cut his arm off. Felt it was safer for them to come here for the night." Adrian added, noting the stub on JJ's shoulder.

"You boys did the right thing," Simmons commended before turning to the southern man. "Dennis, get them a tent prepared for the night," he ordered before turning back to the newcomers. "You're more than welcome to stay here as long as you need to recover. I'll make sure everyone gives you your space, we're not looking for any trouble. You're our guests and will be treated as such." Simmons finished, giving them each a final, firm handshake before sending them off.

"Thank you," JJ said as he exchanged a quick glance with Terry. "Come morning, we'll be outta your hair."

"We'll talk about it in the morning," Simmons shook JJ's hand one more time before allowing Dennis to take them off. Once they were out of sight, he turned to Adrian. "So, about this camp of theirs…"

* * *

 **Day 331**

Terry's mind started to wander as he stared up at the blue fabric of the tent, admiring the creases between the walls and the softness of his sleeping bag. This was the cleanest place he'd seen since they stepped inside the factory. Everything had happened so fast that he could hardly comprehend the fact his brother nearly died today. If it wasn't for Adrian and Dennis, he doubted that his brother would've survived, and he would've been left on his own. Terry knew it was a bad idea to come out here in the first place, but JJ was too excited having him follow in his footsteps that he didn't take the necessary precautions to keep them safe. They didn't even bring a radio to call for help from camp. With them gone for the night, it's likely that Gareth would send out a search party to find them, which would only lead to more deaths. Terry didn't want to have that on his conscience. Everyone at camp were good people; his heart couldn't bear to lose any of them.

His brother had gone to talk with the leader, Simmons, about a quarter hour earlier, leaving Terry alone to think about the events that unfolded today and how much he wished they had simply stayed home so he could've done inventory with Jesse.

Jesse was… something different than the usual survivors they get at the camp. She knew how bad it was out there, but she didn't let it affect her. She always had that optimistic smile that pinched her cheeks, her eyes shining and always finding the time to tell jokes and laugh and… he admired her for that. Everything about her was just so pure and attractive that he couldn't resist, even if she was twenty and he was only eighteen. He longed for those conversations they'd have in the secluded corners of the camp, where nothing else mattered. It was liberating to sit down and enjoy a conversation not about food or supplies, but rather about how life was before, and how life could be again. It was something special, and he wanted to hold onto it for as long as he could while he lay in the house of a possible ally. He wasn't sure just when he had dozed off, but the next thing he knew, a beam of light pierced his skin, signifying the impending dawn.

* * *

JJ started to ascend the steps to Simmons' headquarters, his stomach rolled into a giant fist. The smoke from the lobby filled his nose, and the strange meat sizzling in the fire filled his stomach. It was kind for them to feed him and his brother once they arrived, but that wasn't venison that was being roasted in the flames, and there wasn't anything natural about the bloodstain out back. He wasn't worried, though, because JJ was willing to let bygones be bygones with the circumstances surrounding him and his brother. In his mind, he saw the opportunity to have a long lasting relationship between his friends and Simmons, he truly did.

JJ's wound had managed nicely while being inside the factory. The bleeding finally stopped. Now, it was just a big, burning stub on the tip of his arm. Yet, he couldn't stop wondering, _what_ was the bloodstain? The thought lingered in his mind as he entered Simmons' office.

"You wanted to talk, sir?" JJ spoke, closing the door.

"Have a seat, Mr. Jordan," Simmons greeted in a neutral tone, his finger pointing toward a metal chair sat opposite his desk.

"I thought we were going to talk in the morning," JJ mused, his mouth turning into a frown as his glanced at Dennis and Adrian watching him on either side of the door to the office.

"Sorry, but something has come to my attention that needed to be dealt with immediately," Simmons toyed with a modernized version of a Newton's Cradle, pulling back the metal ball at the end and letting go before watching the following reaction like a studious scientist.

JJ watched with mild annoyance as the metal balls clanged together. "Listen, Mr. Simmons-"

"Just call me Simmons, my friend," Simmons mumbled as if he wasn't really paying attention, irking JJ further while staring intently at the metal balls.

"Okay, Simmons. It seems like you guys are pretty well stocked here," JJ continued, "boxes of food and water, barbed wire on the fences. I was thinkin', maybe we could talk about some kind of alliance? A trade? We've been pretty low on food for a while." He proposed, his lips drying slowly as he eyed Simmons, who clearly had no intention to negotiate.

"I'd be willing to negotiate a deal," Simmons returned his gaze to JJ as if the younger man had told him he was going to give him handfuls of gold. "But what have you got to trade?"

"We've got a surplus of weapons and ammo," JJ offered, but the way Simmons' voice seemed to change in an instant, like a venomous snake treading closer to its prey, sent a shiver down his spine. It felt like he was offering a deal to the Devil himself.

"You've got my attention, Mr. Jordan," Simmons purred, turning JJ's blood cold. "But, you see… without knowing where these magical 'weapons' are coming from, I don't think it would work out. Where exactly is your camp?"

JJ hesitated. The camp was barely an hour's walk away from here by his guess, too close to reveal to a bunch of strangers before he knew them better, and he needed to heal properly before a safe trip back. But he was the one to offer the deal, looks like he might have no choice. "I'll be glad to show you in a couple of days, but I'd have to speak with Gareth first. He runs things at the camp."

"Looks like I need to meet this 'Gareth' then," Simmons smiled innocently, pulling back another metal ball on the Newton's Cradle before turning back to JJ. "But I don't have time for these games, Mr. Jordan. If you and your little camp are close enough that my men can find you in the woods, then you're a threat." His eyes locked with his two henchmen. JJ tensed as he heard their footsteps behind them before he felt his head lurch forward and smash against the metal desk as a rope wrapped around him like an anaconda. He struggled against the bindings, but everything became a blur as he struggled to lift his head off the table.

"So tell me, JJ," the leader spat his name as if it were a curse. "Where is your camp?"

"I-I ain't tellin' you shit," JJ mumbled through the haze, his heart flying from his stomach to his throat, racing as he sent his hand grasping at anything it could, but instead all he found was his back. "You fucking two-faced bastard."

Simmons let out a short laugh before pulling himself out of the chair and striding to where his prisoner sat staring up at him. His smile twisted into a devilish scowl as he punched JJ in the eye as hard as he could, the sound of cracking bones and squelching guts signifying that the eye had been punctured in the process.

" **WHERE THE FUCK IS YOUR CAMP, YOU LITTLE CUNT!** " Simmons barked, clenching his bloody fist as he stood over the tied up form of JJ. The urban man merely laughed as he coughed up blood before looking up at him with detestment, his vision foggy and head dizzy.

"Fuck you," JJ grinned maniacally as he stared at Simmons with his remaining good eye.

"I'm only going to ask you one more time," Simmons growled as he grabbed the back of his captive's neck, his warm fingers pressing into his nerves, causing a shock to run through JJ's spine and down his sweating back. "So please cooperate before I'm forced to go get the information I need out of your brother. **WHERE. IS. YOUR. CAMP?!** "

"At the corner of fuck off and die street," JJ deadpanned. He couldn't stop laughing at his own joke as the man's fist smashed against his cheek. Immediately, the pain was unbearable, leaving him screaming in agony. Yet, within seconds, his cries returned to fitfuls of laughter as the pain routinly fell into a warm sense of numbness. The pain was excruciating; beating, cuts, shit, his stub of an arm looked like a filleted slab of fish, but there was no way in hell he was going to give in. He had chosen his fate. The click of a gun being cocked resounded inside the tent as it was pushed against his forehead, the cold breath of brass only making him laugh harder.

"I'll fucking kill you, you ignorant piece of **SHIT**!" Simmons seethed as he held the gun tighter against the man's forehead.

"Sir, the noise!" Adrian's voice seemed to calm Simmons down a little, draining the red from his eyes just enough for the man to flick the safety back on and slide the gun back into his pants.

"What the fuck's your game anyway? Why do you fucking care so much about where we are?!" He roared, blinking as blood dripped over his eye.

Simmons merely stared at him before turning back to his henchmen.

"Come on, you pussy," JJ sneered, flipping them off with his tied hand. "If you ain't gonna answer my question, fucking finish me off!"

"Dennis, you know what to do." Simmons sighed, turning to the southerner standing watch by the door. "Don't make too much noise." He coughed, stepping out of the room.

"You got it, boss." Dennis hissed, ignoring the captive's fits of maniacal laughter as he tied his fingers to the stump of his arm, the squelching of flesh ringing in his ears as he dragged the man out.

JJ laughed, the pain leaving his body while being dragged out into the night. Funny, he could clearly remember looking down this alleyway just a few hours ago, only now he was about to die to find out where the blood really came from. The concrete felt cold under his soaked jeans. The shirt he was wearing stuck to his skin with the stickiness of his sweat. As Dennis dragged him, his skull scraped the ground, a nice gash opening in his head. He moaned, the pain erupting in his mind. JJ turned, facing the building, seeing all the blood marks on the wall. His heart ran laps under his chest as his fate was being written under this starry night, all the dried blood spelling out his end.

When he looked up again, all he saw was a glimpse of a white knuckle heading for his face.

* * *

" _Wake up, nigger."_ Dennis' voice echoed in his ear. JJ sat up, drowsy, the sun barely visible beyond the horizon, peeking out over the world. _Wait. I can't sit up._ He thought, struggling to lift his body off of the freezing cement. JJ opened his eyes to a scene straight out of a horror movie; his body, mutilated, past the point of return. His left leg was dismantled in pieces from his body. His other arm was gone, away in pieces to his side, and his right foot was missing, with a man hunched over sawing at his kneecap, all the while bathing in a pool of his own blood. JJ screamed.

" **SHUT UP!** "Dennis screamed, dropping the saw on the ground.

" **WHAT IS THIS?!** " JJ screamed at the man dismembering him. He noticed then he couldn't feel a thing except for his own head. It was like his own body didn't belong to him, except, that _**was**_ his body, lying in front of him in a million pieces.

"Wait… I can't feel my body… **WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!** " JJ howled at Dennis, who ignored him and grabbed a bag off of an old crate against the back wall. When JJ finished blubbering, he faced the bloodied man and began.

"I gave you an anesthetic so you wouldn't feel any of this. Except, since you woke up, I must've not have given you a big enough dose. Don't worry, though, you'll feel it eventually." He sighed, stuffing JJ's feet and hands into the bag, the bits of flesh squelching inside as they dripped to the bottom.

" _What… the... fuck…_ " JJ croaked. He should be dead, yet he was here, alive, witnessing himself getting chopped to bits. "Why are you doing this…?" He whispered, spitting blood onto the ground as he coughed, his tough man persona now a distant memory.

"Well," Dennis let out another sigh before grabbing JJ by the shoulders and dragging his body towards a pile of dusted bags at the edge of the fence. JJ looked while he was shifted and noticed a particular bag was ripped, bones spilling out onto the concrete. _Ribs?_

"We're hungry." Dennis finished. JJ looked up at his killer before his body loaded with pain. He felt his legs. He felt his arms. He felt his fingers, and they were _**gone.**_ He screamed, crying while he saw stars and colors flood his vision as unbearable, excruciating pain flooded his phantom toes and fingers. His biceps tensed as he could feel them being cut, each push of the knives through his flesh, the carving up of his bones.

Then, he laughed. He was dying. They were going to eat his remains. And he was bitten.

" **I'M INFECTED YOU STUPID FUCK!** "JJ squealed, catching Dennis off guard while picking up the axe from the other side of the crate.

" **I WAS BITTEN YOU FUCKERS! I'M INFECTED! HAHAHAHA!** " He screamed with delight, a mix of blood and tears coming from his eyes. Dennis stared at the body before him as it squirmed and belched manic laughter from somewhere within its small body. JJ continued to laugh and laugh, knowing they would die. Every single one of these assholes, after eating his flesh. And Terry would get out alive.

Oh, Terry, his little brother. He was supposed to care for him, protect him through this shithole. Life had a funny way of doing things, because when these cannibals devour his flesh and they get sick and turn, he'll be cared for alright. Terry will be the only one left.

" **DON'T EAT THE MEAT, TERRY! DON'T EAT THE FUCKIN'-** "He hollered at whomever could hear him, possibly Terry would hear through the broken glass, if he wasn't dead already, only to be cut off by a bone cracking smack of an axe handle against his face.

JJ looked up into the sun that started to lift into the sky, the colder night air dying down as the sun warmed up the world a little, leaving what little blood circulating in him to feel like ice. He laughed, knowing he was going home. His laugh twisted into a smile as his final thought dawned on him: his time in Hell was served.

"Sorry to let you down, JJ. But you ain't bit anymore," Dennis purred as he lifted the axe like a demonic lumberjack. He swung the axe, JJ's head rolling, quietly, off to the side. Yet, his maniacal laughter seemed to echo into the not too distant trees.

* * *

Terry sat up in his tent, the sun beaming through the plastic, heating his skin after the freezing events from the night before. Unzipping the bag, he slipped on his black tank top and jeans, the foul smell of sweat and blood consuming his nostrils. _I hope I can wash these today._ Once he placed his cap atop his head, he unzipped the entrance and slid out of the tent, the sound of laughter and conversation greeting his ears like a heavenly tune played on a harp.

Standing outside the tent, he admired his new surroundings; the walls were ugly, rotting mold, with rusted columns surrounded his eyesight. Cobwebs filled the corners and broken machinery and debris littered the floor that wasn't compressed with fire or tents. The only things clean were the tents, standing like newly modeled cars in a littered junkyard. Sparkling blue plastic and orange sleeping bags in the midst of a rundown factory. Why they chose this place, he didn't know, but this was home for now, at least until JJ and him go back home. _Maybe they'll let me get together a cleaning crew?_

Terry walked over by the fire, the smell of fresh grub smoldering his nose led to an emptiness in his stomach only food could fulfill. A man he didn't know handed him a plate before he could even sit down, dirt covered ceramic without utensils. The meat was still hot, smoke sizzling off of the slab. To Terry, it looked like a slightly burnt piece of steak: a job well done.

"Hey Terry, how'd you sleep?" The voice emanated from beside him as a man plopped down next to him. Terry turned to look at the newcomer, only to realize it was Adrian.

"Not bad," Terry mumbled, taking a bite out of the meat, only to realize it was rather stringy. "Not exactly the softest deer meat I've ever had." He hissed, the meat burning his tongue.

"Blame Mitch's cooking," Adrian cackled as the one-armed cook in question glared at him.

"Oi, watch it," Mitch growled, turning the pike angrily.

"He's also not a morning person," Adrian finished.

"And Mr. Border Control over there is a dick," Mitch shot back. A spot of grease flicked off the pike and landed on his arm, sending Mitch into a tirade of curses as he got back to cooking the special breakfast.

Terry tried his damndest not to laugh as bits of meat fell out of his mouth. Things seemed to die down for a moment as they continued to eat in silence. It seemed like a perfect brunch, except for one thing.

"Hey Adrian, where's my brother at?" Terry spoke up. "Haven't seen him all morning."

Adrian gulped down the shred of meat he had been chewing on as the words reached his ears. "Shit Terry, I almost forgot," Adrian's smile flipped as he turned to the boy, a sense of despair awakening within the conversation. "After he came to talk to the boss, he started to get dizzy. He was burnin' up… I… I'm sorry, looks like we cut the arm off too late… he turned."

Terry's whole world seemed to come crashing down around him as Adrian's words pierced his ears, his heart rising in his throat, choking his words as the tears threatened to burst from his eyes. _JJ's dead…?! But… but…_ "But… he was fine! How…?!" He cried, bits of meat flaking back onto his plate before he dropped it, the marble shattering into a million pieces, like Terry's heart.

"The process seems to be different for different people. Maybe cutting the arm off slowed it down? I'm sorry, Terry. I really am. He seemed like a good man…" Adrian sighed as he set down the plate of meat in front of the fire, kicking some of the stone into it unconsciously. "I know that's hardly enough to make you feel better, but for all it's worth, we're more than willing to escort you back home. You don't have to go alone." Adrian placed a hand on his shoulder, only making Terry feel worse as the tears started to fall.

"Where is his body?" Terry mumbled, wishing only to see his brother one more time; a final goodbye to his lifelong best friend. His words barely reached Adrian's ears as he watched the boy sob.

"We buried him," Adrian whispered back, "I'm sorry Terry, I had no idea they didn't tell you." Silence fell once more as everyone avoided Terry's gaze. "Listen, I know it's not a good time right now but, if we're going to help you back home… we need to know where your camp is." Adrian continued, guiding the boy away from the large group of men around the campfire.

Terry's gaze fell to the floor as he tried desperately to stop his crying. JJ was gone now, he couldn't dwell on it anymore, though, God, did he want to. But he just had to move on, yet deep down he knew that he couldn't. His brother was an asshole, but he was the only one that kept him alive. He was going to avenge his death, even if that meant getting home tonight to protect his family. _And Jesse_.

"It's…" His eyes remained fixed on the dirt-covered concrete as he blabbed. "The camp is at Terminus. Where the train tracks all over Georgia intersect."

"I've seen signs for that place," Mitch spoke up, still twisting a slab of meat above the fire. "Thought it might've fallen by now. Guess it hasn't."

Adrian gave a quick smile in Mitch's direction as he put an arm around Terry. "Don't worry, T. We'll get you home safe."

The sun shined brightly over the factory as the trio stood about to head out on their journey. It was warmer than the past few days, the air stung with glorious heat. Birds were flying up above, their songs bringing tears to Terry's eyes while he looked up at the building for the final time.

 _This place_ , he thought to himself, _it's nothing more than a tomb..._

He turned away from the shattered windows and moldy cobwebs and faced the two men that have volunteered to help him, and gave him so much to be thankful for.

"Thank you guys, for helping me out. I, uh, I..." Terry muttered, looking between Adrian and Simmons as he struggled to find the words. The two men stood side by side, giving smug smiles to the young boy, Simmons' hand buried deep in his pockets.

"I just want to get back to Terminus, and to Jesse…" He whispered, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"She your girlfriend?" Adrian inquired, a chuckle escaping his throat.

Terry let out a short laugh. "I wish."

"Listen, Terry. I'm sorry about what happened to JJ," Simmons sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "He seemed like a good kid."

"He was, on occasion." Terry whispered, holding back tears. "He taught me everything I know…"

Simmons smile grew wider as he extended out his hand. Terry hesitated before reaching out and returning the handshake. "You know, you remind me of myself when I was your age. So it's been an honor having you around. Thanks for helping us out."

"Really? How..?" Terry asked, curious. He observed this man, and somehow found nothing resembling himself.

Everything stopped as the crack of a gunshot resounded through the forest. Terry screamed as he fell to the floor, another gunshot deafening him as he felt both of his legs go limp.

"By being so fucking naive." Simmons deadpanned, returning the revolver into the pocket of his slacks. Without another word, they took off, walking towards Terminus, ready to take whatever they could.

"Don't worry, Terry. I'll bring you a piece of that girl's ass for you. If biters haven't gotten you first."

Terry opened his eyes, watching the blurry forms of Simmons and Adrian crossing the road into the forest. He tried to shout out what profanity he could, only to receive a bash of a rifle butt against his head by some unknown entity. He let out a soft croak of "JJ…" before he lost consciousness.

* * *

Gareth let out a long sigh as he gazed down at the pavement below him. It's been barely a year since the apocalypse began, yet they've finally begun turning Terminus into a real home: Gardens, play areas for the kids, and large tents for families. All of their hard work was starting to pay off. Not too long ago, they started to put up signs all over Georgia for survivors to find their way here and start a better life. Everyone needed that chance to start again, even if that meant risking their community's safety to take in strangers.

Despite everything good going on in their community, Gareth found himself quite troubled. The day before, he allowed JJ to take his brother out hunting, but they never came back. JJ was known for spending days outside camp while on hunting trips, but with his own brother in tow? The numbers weren't adding up to him. JJ wouldn't keep his brother out so long. As night drew closer, the knot in his stomach grew tighter, and the sense of impending dread seemed to loom over the camp like a howling storm.

" _Should we go out looking for them?" His brother, Alex, had asked as they stared out the metal fence into the woods._

" _We'll have to wait until morning. It's too dangerous to go out there with the roamers," Gareth answered in a whisper. "Tell no one about it, we don't want to cause any alarm."_

As soon as the sun rose the next morning, Gareth sent out the first patrol. He should've gone out there himself, but Alex insisted for him to stay at the camp.

" _Let me handle the search Gareth," Alex stated as they stood atop the train station, looking over the commonfolk tending to their gardens and greeting their neighbors in the early morning sun. "If they're out there still, we'll find them. Someone needs to stay behind and keep order around here. I'm sure Jesse will want an explanation on why her best friend's missing." He said, looking over at the hub of tents close to the center of town, a young girl standing outside her abode. She glanced around the area, a look of fear residing behind her eyes._

" _Good idea, I'll talk to her, let her know that he's alright," Gareth sighed as he dangled his legs off the roof. "Maybe she'll understand." He sighed before turning to leave._

"It's beautiful up here," a feminine voice from behind forced him out of his thoughts. He smiled as he looked back at Jesse as she sat next to him, her blonde hair blowing slightly in the wind.

"Yeah, it is," Gareth agreed, his eyes flying across the complex before looking at her. A lump caught in his throat as he tried to break the news, but his execution ran cold. With no easy way to tell her, he decided to start off with a simple question. "I know that you're still a bit new here, but how are you liking Terminus?" He changed the matter, waiting for the moment to strike.

"I like it here," she smiled with joy, her eyes seemed to shimmer with glee as she spoke. "It reminds of how life was before, in a weird sort of way." A laugh escaped her while she talked.

"We're trying to make a new life here, maybe better than the ones we had before," Gareth explained. "We couldn't do that without people like you and Terry. Or even our people like Alex and JJ, who put their lives on the line just to keep the community safe."

"Speaking of Terry," she noted, "I haven't seen him all night or this morning. I figured he'd be back from his hunting trip by now." Her tone of voice shifted with the mention of Terry, her smile seemed to dissipate while thoughts of his whereabouts clouded her mind.

"I'm sure he's fine," Gareth half-lied, "you know how JJ is with hunting."

"Terry was supposed to help me with the food inventory when he got back," she mumbled as she watched the horizon beyond the fence. "Bastard skipped out on me."

"I'm sure it was probably JJ's idea. Terry wouldn't bail on you," Gareth laughed, watching the sun rise, bringing light on the new day.

That seemed to cheer her up as she laughed with him. "Yeah, you're right. Hope they come home soon." She mumbled, her smile making a small comeback.

"Me too," Gareth said as he patted her back softly. She looked up at him with a soft smile before a quick movement in the distance caught her eye. Gareth followed her gaze until his eyes met a group of men standing just outside their gates, merely specks at this distance. Gareth stood from his post slowly, his heartbeat speeding up as he inched closer to the edge. Around twenty men stood outside the gates, covered from head to foot in dirt and guns, a break in surely imminent. The man leading the crew wore a camo jacket and a pair of black jeans, with a brown beard covering most of his face.

" _Gareth, we've got a problem…_ " Alex's voice over the radio pierced the air like a bullet, only to fade and mute over the sound of his pulsing heartbeat as the group kicked in the gates like a SWAT team, fanning out. The first tents were searched quicker than Gareth was able to reach for his radio.

Gareth grabbed the radio from his belt loop and held down the button, ready to bark out orders for his brother's search party only to be cut off by a roaring voice below. " **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE OF TERMINUS, IT'S YOUR LUCKY DAY! NO SUDDEN MOVES, AND HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE 'EM. NOW IF YOUR BENEVOLENT LEADER, GARETH, CAN COME FORTH, WE'LL MAKE THIS QUICK AND PAINLESS.** "

Gareth dropped the radio before turning to Jesse, whispering as he pulled out his pistol. "Hide."

* * *

" _ **JESSE?!**_ " Terry howled as gunfire echoed like thunder in the distance. His eyes flew open, greeting the sight of bricks strewn around the courtyard, his body lying in a patch of grass, itching his face as they covered his mouth. He rolled over, shocked to see the sun was down over the factory, sending an orange hue over the courtyard, thoughts coursing through his mind at a rapid pace he realized he had been out for hours, and the temperature was lower than he remembered. The cool air brushed between him and the men who betrayed him. His brother was gone, probably killed by the bandits, a lie conjured up to win him over.

He suddenly gasped as the pain from his legs flooded his nervous system, he could feel the bullets now embedded in his legs, or perhaps it was just an echo of them, he couldn't tell. For now, he had to presume that were still buried within him. He tried to wrestle himself up into a sitting position, only for the pain to overwhelm him, sending black spots into his vision while he flung onto the Earth, the pain crushing his body into the dirt. Defeated, he stared up at the night sky, the gunshots in the distance signifying his final failure.

 _I let you down, JJ. I let everyone down…_

Terry opened his eyes, a figure standing before him. He blinked, his head and eyes fuzzy while he rolled over, his back on the ground when the figure leaned in, the dark shadow covering its face dissipated. Terry's jaw dropped when her eyes met his, the blonde hair decorating her face blowing in the wind as angels started to sing to him.

"Hey there." Jesse laughed, staring at her man lying in the dirt. Her eyes glazed over his body, not adhering to the bloody legs that were by her feet.

"Help me... m-my legs…." He begged the woman he loved standing before him, only for the beautiful moment to be cut short by the paralyzing sting that was his gunshot wounds. His eyes watched in awe as she knelt down beside him and sat in the grass, her blonde hair dancing in the wind while she spoke.

"Let me help you…" She whispered. Her voice sounded like a beautiful brush of the wind on a cool day in his ears, sending shivers down his spine, yet, simultaneously, warming every inch of his soul. Her dirt-consumed T-shirt sat low against her shoulders, her chest briefly glancing in his direction while she leaned closer to him, her blue jeans (faded to the point of white) hugging her waist. She pressed her hand against his skin while she grinned, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Hey... that's not what I meant." Terry grunted, chuckling as she crawled on top of him, running a hand up his chest. Terry lifted his head, watching as her eyes danced on his body, looking at every speck of flesh on his chest and running up his neck as she got closer, her chest pressed against his.

"Don't worry, I know what you meant." She sighed, going in to kiss his neck, sending Terry's mind into overdrive as adrenaline rushed through his veins. The wounds were nothing but a memory as he kissed her shoulder, running his hands against the side of her body, her shirt piling in his hand.

"Jesse…" he whispered, closing his eyes as she pressed against his neck, her hot breath steaming his skin. Her hands ran down his arm, the warm touch turning into a strangely cold feeling as she gripped his forearm, squeezing it until it hurt. She growled in his ear, making Terry laugh until he noticed her voice was deeper than it was a second earlier. Everything seemed to change in an instant as his body began to freeze, and the excruciating pain in his legs burned with a cursing passion. Terry screamed as he opened his eyes, her fingers squeezing his throat, and her face suddenly morphing from perfect to something much more gruesome. Terry screamed again as he realized a roamer was trying to bite his neck.

He reeled away from its teeth, his neck popping with the speed, and shoved his hands against the roamer. She sprawled out on top of him, the weight of its lifeless body sending shock to his legs. Terry screamed as he wrestled the dream-crushing demon, only getting snarls from the black-haired roamer. Terry stared, its teeth getting closer to his face, adrenaline swelling in his fingers as he swung, knocking the dead onto the ground. With the force of pure will, he crawled on top of the roamer, punching its face, blood and teeth spewing onto the grass. Gargling noises rasped out of its mouth, only signaling Terry to keep punching, and to bite his lip from the crushing pains in his lifeless legs. Terry swung, once more onto the battered roamer, his fist sliding through like a knife, sending its nose and other skin deep into its skull, silencing the roamer once and for all.

Terry looked up from the battled undead, his breath quivering as he removed his hand, his dirt covered fingers now dripping with dark blood and rotting flesh.

"Jesse…" He cried, wiping the muck onto the grass. She was still out there somewhere, probably dead or worse. She was still going to die because of him. In the distance, a movement caught his eye, stopping his clean up short. He looked, a fresh roamer stumbling into the forest in the direction of the gunshots.

 _Jesse…_

Terry screamed when another crushing weight landed on his legs, black spots hurling for his vision. Terry snapped around in time to see a roamer tripping over his legs, only to mindlessly collect itself and search for its new meal; Terry. He whimpered as he scattered away from the walker, which only chased after him. His heart beated rapidly in his chest as real adrenaline took over, and he crawled toward the forest. He dug his nails into the grass while pulling himself for the heavenly trees of escape. The rotting breath still wafted in his nose while he crawled, telling him the roamer wasn't too far behind.

Lights seemed to suddenly appear as the sounds of an engine pierced the air. Terry froze as the headlights blinded him, and came closer until they passed. He closed his eyes as blood coated his body, the gut-wrenching sound of a body being squashed by wheels up close sending a glob of vomit rising in his throat. He rolled over, his chest gasping for air as the truck screeched to a stop.

 _Holy shit…_

He cried. The danger was finally gone, and he was safe. He made it out of this fucking Hell, and he didn't want to stay here any longer. As the adrenaline in his body settled to a balanced pulse, the disturbance in his legs became an overbearing sensation, pushing his brain to the edge of blackout.

"Didn't anyone teach you to look both ways before crossing a street? Dumb bitch," the man from the truck mumbled as he stepped out and kicked the roamer. Another two roamers entered the scene, moaning as they locked onto their new target.

"Come on fellas, got you a mighty fine meal right here," the man laughed as Terry opened his eyes, taking in the man's appearance from behind. He wore a blue jacket and trucker hat, with a pair of grey jeans, a thin brown beard covering his face, as if the man hadn't shaved in several days. Terry watched as he pulled out a large knife and buried it in the first roamer's forehead, still laughing as he yanked it back out and threw it into the next roamer's eye. Satisfied with the kill, he pulled out the blade and cleaned it off.

"Did you see that?" The man giggled as he pocketed the knife, "right through the fuckin' eye. Perfect. I know right? Man, Russ would'a loved that move."

Terry's eyes grew wider, the man's strange behavior sending goosebumps down his arms. His brain screamed for him to run away for shelter, and that's what he did; but his legs had other plans. With one push off the ground and a grunt of pain, he was back was in the dirt, staring at the crazy stranger with a knife.

"Well well well, what have we here?" The man smiled as he strolled towards him, blocking the already dimmed sun. "You enjoy the show?"

"Please, just go away," Terry gasped, trying to ride out the pain coursing through his body.

"Calm down homeboy, I ain't here to hurt ya," the man crouched in front of him, his eyes going down to Terry's bloodied knees. "Looks like someone's already done that for me. Tell ya what, I got some stuff in the back of my truck that'll help with that. What do you ya say?" He laughed, glancing from Terry's knees to his face, seeing the discomfort and fear from a mile away.

"I-I don't know who the fuck you are," Terry tried to act tough, but the pain made that impossible.

"Aw, come on man, we can totally be best friends. Name's Nate. If you're worried about me kidnapping you…" he stood up and pulled down the tailgate, revealing a large stash of food and medicine stacked in boxes. "I'd say it'd be worth it, don't you think?"

Terry's eyes darted between the stacks of supplies and the strange man before he finally let out his breath. He couldn't go, he thought, not with Terminus is peril. Not with Jesse in danger. _Jesse_. No, it wasn't even an option. Who _**knows**_ where this man's camp was. It could be in another state for all he knew. He couldn't risk that, he could still save Terminus…. Somehow. He had to, or die trying. Deep down, Terry wanted to die for his mistake, it was perfect. He would get to Terminus and die for Jesse. It was set: JJ died for him, so he must die for Jesse. With a deep breath he released his foretold prophecy.

"Listen, Nate, you see I have to-" Gunfire sounded, deafening his words. _Jesse._ Maybe that shot could've been his. Maybe it was hers. He didn't know, but the bullet hit his ears and stayed in his brain. _Do I really want this...?_

Terry sighed, his head falling with defeat as he said the words. "Okay, Nate. You've got a deal. My name's Terry."

* * *

Gareth's eyes remained fixed on the dirty train car floor as the screams outside howled into the night, sending spasms of fear down everyone's spines inside. It happened so quick: the gates being kicked in, hearing his name being called out as people were shot. Gareth would never forget the moment Simmons held the gun to his head as he saw Aidan, the little kid who lost his parents before he and his sister, Jesse, found Terminus, shot dead just for running towards his sister. He was only six, scared for his life, and Simmons turned and shot him without missing a word.

It never stopped, not for a second. The screams echoed in his ears from outside, like a never ending chant through wrapping foil tearing down his sanity and strength. Across from him, his brother sat clenching his fists and closing his eyes as every scream pierced the air like a bullet in his ears. He whimpered as another scream pierced the air, much closer to the train car than the others.

"We should never have put up the signs," Alex cried out as he curled into a ball. "What the hell did we think was gonna happen?" He cried, tears dripping down his face. The car was closed off, the interior cast into darkness to the point you could barely see the man in front of you, with a tiny sliver of light from the hole in the roof. He gasped, the smell of urine and feces getting to his head, sending his brain into a dizzy overdrive.

The ambush began past noon, Alex recalled. He was just returning from looking for JJ and his little brother. The men, who already had burst through their gates, started shooting inhabitants. He and his crew ran into the first building and crouched in the corner while he barked at Gareth on the radio. But it was too late, the gunfire exploded, and when Alex had opened his eyes, his partners were dead, and he was being dragged out and stuffed into this train car. Within minutes the door had opened up, and Gareth and Jesse were thrown in with him. In the coming hours, almost 20 of their own civilians were crammed inside.

It was unbearable, he thought. At first, they banged on the doors, pleading to make an agreement. They had food, Gareth had said, and plenty of water and supplies. But from what his brother said, they were _**not**_ looking for a trade, but for death. They awaited their moment in hiding in the corners, staying in the shadows ready to strike. But as the bodies piled in, and the screams were getting fewer and louder, hope dwindled like sand between their fingers. They were side to side crushed inside a tiny metal box, and there could possibly be more of them than there were of Terminus survivors.

Alex took in a deep breath and whispered, glaring at his brother. "We brought them here."

Gareth tried to reach out for his brother, who reeled away, leaning his head against the wall adjacent to the door. "We were trying to do something good," Gareth whispered, his voice cracking at his brother's words. Alex merely laughed at the thought as Gareth continued. "We were human beings."

"Yeah, what are we now, Gareth?" Alex shot back, staring directly into his brother's eyes, the anger flaring in his pupils. Gareth's eyes grew wider as what his brother said settled in his mind. More screams echoed outside as he sat back, his brother's words settling in his head. _What_ _ **are**_ _we now?_ Suddenly, the fear left him, and a sense of anger replaced the tears building under his eyes. He closed his eyes as the stench filled his nostrils and poisoned his brain while his mother came to mind. He could hear her screams outside of the car, until everyone jolted out of their stupor as the train car door opened, a woman thrown inside by what seemed to be a tall man in camo and a shorter man with a beard.

"Mom!" Alex gasped as he jumped to his feet, pulling her towards him as she cried.

"No!" she screamed, not opening her eyes as she crawled to the other corner of the car, barely missing the urine as she curled up, gripping her dress and covering as much of her body as possible.

"Mom…?" Alex gasped, watching his mother crawl like an animal in a cage, running from her captors. He held his breath when he saw her dress, the hem stained with blood. He turned, ready to lunge at the monsters who attacked her when his eyes met his brother's. He stopped and sat back down, the angry tears in Gareth's eyes like orders telling him: _not yet… I see it too, but not fucking yet…_

Their moment of vengeance was cut short by a flashlight. The two men standing at the door scanning over the survivors with the light as they searched for their next victim, until the light fell on Jesse.

"That one," the shorter bandit smiled, his yellow teeth showing as he stared at the girl in greedy lust.

Her heart sank to her stomach as the light of torture blinded her, and sealed her fate. "No! No! Please, not again!" Jesse screeched as the taller bandit stepped into the car, only his figure able to be seen by the light. His footsteps boomed over all of the screaming, stopping right in front of her. He grabbed her by her long blond hair, and yanked her to her feet.

"Your time to shine, cupcake." the man cooed, turning to leave with his reward. After all, he did catch this bitch himself in the raid.

"Jesse!" Gareth screamed, jumping to his feet. He hurdled over the other inmates and grabbed Jesse's wrist and pulled her back towards him, only to be overpowered by the shorter bandit's hands, throwing him back against the wall, the sound echoing throughout the cell.

"Ah, Gary, Gary, Gary… what am I going to do with you?" the man smiled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pistol, the shiny revolver glimmering like a diamond, threatening Gareth's life. He cocked the hammer, a louder echo resounding as he held it up to Gareth's forehead, the cold barrel sweating bullets down his skin.

"Jesse? Ain't that Terry's bitch?" the first man laughed, holding her close as she struggled against him, her body only writhing in his grasp. He stroked her hair as she squirmed, pressing his hands against her chest and stomach, feeling up his prize. However, Terry's name being used by these monsters suddenly stopped her cold.

"Awwww, but I like it when you play hard to get." The bandit cooed in her ear when she stopped moving, sending a shiver down her spine. She didn't want to live through this again. Every inch of her body was sore; their grabbing hands tearing her body like claws for meat. Her clothes were like wrapping paper to them, her jeans barely staying on from the tears down her leg. And her thighs, covered in her own blood. The only real reason her clothes still protected her at all was because they were stuck to her with her own dried blood.

"Terry ain't around to collect now, Dennis," the shorter man smiled, "she's all yours." He laughed.

"Please, stop…" Gareth pleaded, his voice cracking while his body stood frozen with the cold barrel still locked on his head.

"Oh, Gary…" the second man laughed, his voice like rusted sandpaper, Gareth now recognizing him as Simmons, the leader of the bandit group. "You just don't get it do ya?"

"My name's not-" Gareth barked.

"Shut up Gary, it's going to be your name from now on, whether you like it or not. At least until we're done with you," Simmons crouched down in front of him, staring directly into Gareth's fuming eyes. "'Cause, you see, you're just the cattle, Gary. And when we're done with you..." He let out a short laugh as he toyed with the gun, putting it inside Gareth's mouth. "Well, we can't _let you go_ , so, we're going to kill you. Everyone single one of you." Satisfied, he returned the gun to its holster and turned back to Jesse. "As for you, your boyfriend's waiting for you in hell. Let's not keep him waiting." He laughed as he stepped to the side.

She screamed as Dennis started to drag her out of the train car, her cries of bloody murder filling Gareth's ears as he laid his head against the car wall, again, his head pulsing with pain as he was forced to watch. She fought for her life, biting Dennis and kicking his legs as she was dragged outside. His hand, that once petted her like a pet he received for Christmas, now used as leverage and power, pulling at her scalp as he pulled her, her screams turning into music in his ears. Gareth stared in horror, Dennis toying her as they stepped outside, her dragging feet scraping the tracks like nails on a chalkboard. Simmons stood, watching and eyeing Gareth, smiling and chuckling with every scream she let out.

"Ahhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" He laughed, mimicking Jesse's cries, turning for Gareth. "They're always so high pitched. Sad, they don't scream like that when you fuck 'em, right Gareth?" He mocked, laughing as he followed Dennis out the door. Gareth shivered as Dennis and Jesse disappeared from sight, bringing his mother's cries to his ears.

He crawled over to his mom, placing her face in his hands. "It's okay mom, it's okay…" Gareth whispered to her. She let out another screech as the sound of Jesse's body being tossed onto the concrete echoed off the metal walls.

Simmons turned around and laughed, looking directly into Gareth's eyes once more. "No, it's not." He pulled his pistol out and stepped towards Gareth before he bashed it into his face, the smack echoing through the car. He let out a last laugh before walking out the door and slamming it shut.

Alex ran to his mother's aid and covered her mouth as she screamed in fear. Gareth fell back from the hit, his eyes fixed on his mother as she screamed and caressed his injured cheek.

"We're gonna take it back," Gareth vowed, staring into his mother's face with his fists clenched as he ignored the pain pulsing through his face.

"How?" Alex asked, his voice a mere whisper, nearly lost in the chorus of screams from outside the car.

" _No! Please! No-_ " The screams could be heard from outside the car as the sound of ripping sheets and a smacking sound could be heard from outside. The screams got quieter, and were replaced by the rustling of leaves.

" _Stop squirming!_ " A male voice reached Gareth's ears before he turned to his brother.

"We will," Gareth stated, his eyes locked on his brother's. The lesson they've learned from all this now dawning on the young men. "You're either the butcher, or the cattle."


	21. Days Gone By

**Living In A World of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 2: No Safe Haven**

 **Chapter 21: Days Gone By**

* * *

 **Day 497**

Dominic peered out the window in light interest as a herd of walkers ploughed through the street below, single-mindedly stumbling forward without a final destination. The moans of their voices flew through his ears while he stared at everything and nothing all at once. The four walls of the office building enclosed them like a professional hell, yet remained an inviting paradise of quiet and reservedness. Hell, the only times anyone had to fear for their lives was when they had to get supplies from the ground floor, which was not often, thankfully, with the scattered snacks and materials scattered throughout the building. The desks had been rearranged immediately; instead of their pro stance of symmetry, Dominic and Molly had ordered them the new positions of chaos, barricading the doors and hallways they never used. A few lucky soldiers were stripped to bare wood and used as makeshift weapons and tinder for fires behind the office, where a fence blocked off most of the ways in and out of the back alley. Surprisingly enough, the blankets from the Daycare in the office settled them down pretty well, along with snuggling through the cold night.

Barely seven hours have passed since they had run through the dark street into this three-story office, barricading the door as the street behind them filled with the dead. Now, hours later, the herd seemed to be thinning out a little, with small patches of concrete visible in between the shuffling bodies. There must've been thousands of them pouring into the city, aimlessly roaming from town to town on their eternal hunt for food and, maybe, a reason to exist. Dominic let out a short grunt as he watched without seeing them, massaging his shoulder a little bit as his old wound flared in the usual dull pain.

The months had flown by at a rapid pace as they moved from place to place, scavenging whatever they could before setting up a camp in whatever safe haven they could find for the night. It got them through the winter, and now the next winter was already here in full force, this one colder than the last. He wasn't sure if it was the lack of traffic or simply a change in the weather, but when the snow started coming down, and actually sticking to the ground, he knew there was something wrong. As far as he could tell through the map and general geography, they were still in Georgia, which made this phenomenon that much more wild. He spent what felt like hours watching the flakes fall from the ever darkening clouds, dancing in the wind until resting on the ground and covering every inch of the city, including the walkers. He found himself unable to sleep, not with the threat so close; he _knew_ that they were safe up there in the office, with the dusty coffee machines and cobwebs that covered the corners of the office they, nor anyone else for that matter, would venture into. Yet, the sight of them, the walkers shuffling in formation down the road like some sort of undead army, the groans of their rotting vocal cords, and the emptiness in their march, it just brought back too many bad memories.

It brought him back to those nights in Savannah, when they had lost everyone: Kenny, Carley, Lee, Christa, and Omid; as far as Dominic knew, they were all gone. There was still that small voice in the back of his head telling him that maybe he was wrong, they _could've_ survived, but his foresight stopped being useful a long time ago. Things changed, but some things may have stayed the same. During the heat of the moment, Dominic had forgotten about Lee getting bitten before, so maybe it happened again? If that was the case, any hope that he was still alive was a lost cause.

A tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts as he turned back to see a growing Clementine staring at him from the couch she lay sprawled across. He smiled as he whispered in greeting. "Hey."

"Hi…" she mumbled, stretching as she yawned, her arms and legs lifting off of the couch that they had pushed from the other side of the room to a more comforting spot by the window. Her footsteps were muffled by the blue carpeting as she stepped towards her guardian.

"How'd you sleep?" The words escaped his mouth before he could take them back. It felt strange to ask such a question, as if it was forbidden. Their usual conversations would come down to the basics: water, ammo, food, shelter. Asking a normal, simple question doesn't really happen anymore. They were left behind in another world, the one they had been deprived of long ago.

"Okay," she replied in monotone as she crawled into a desk chair next to him, taking a moment to gaze out the window. "Is it… snowing?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes while she watched in disbelief. The tiny white flakes scurried to the ground, as if dancing, each one courting the other to the ground, where they rested once more, gracefully.

"Yeah," he laughed softly, "it started up a few hours ago. Still trying to figure out why. At least we've got those blankets from the daycare downstairs, those couches are way better than sleeping in those filthy sleeping bags we've got. Next chance we get, we're gonna get some new ones, and stuff them with pillows." He muttered, his gaze unwavering from the glistening window.

She gave him a blank look before a small smile appeared on her face, signifying her agreement as she stretched again, spinning the chair around to take a quick look around the office space. "Where's Molly?" She asked, noticing the absence of their more sarcastic group member.

"She went to go siphon some water from the coolers on the second floor," he answered, "probably tastes better than the water we've been drinking."

"Hmm," Clementine added as she slowly pulled herself out of the chair and back to the couch she had grown a fondness for.

Dominic frowned as he watched her leave. Over the past couple months, Clementine had grown quieter, keeping to herself unless she needed to say something. It felt… uncharacteristic to him, like the girl he knew from the games became someone else entirely, a recluse within the group. At first, he blamed it on everything she's seen so far: the horrors of walkers, cannibalism, her parents… and that's when it hit him. Well, it hit him months prior, but he just didn't have the courage to confront her about it.

The isolation she had adopted, it was because she was depressed about her parents, and deep in his heart, he feared that she may think he knew all along, which he did.

He was a liar; he would openly admit to that, but he couldn't bear to see Clementine turn against him for something he couldn't control. He was weak, or maybe he just wanted to protect her, he really didn't know. However, sooner or later the rising tide will burst the dam of emotions hidden within that little girl, and he wasn't sure if he could handle it. It was a ticking time bomb with one second left on the countdown.

He just couldn't avoid it anymore.

He let out a deep sigh as he spun toward her, the soft glow of the morning sun obscured by the blizzard overhead casting half his face in light, the other nearly faded into the darkness. "Listen, we still haven't talked about Savannah."

"What is there to talk about?" Her neutral tone was like a bullet to his heart, nearly forcing a wince out of him as he continued.

"There's something I need to tell you about your parents, I…" he started, only for her to stop him cold.

"You knew they were dead from the beginning."

"Clem-" This time, she jumped off the couch and stomped toward him, her breathing becoming more shallow and short as she stared at him, only her golden eyes visible in the darkness beyond the window.

"Why are you always lying to me?" she muttered, her voice hardly like the one he was used to. It was more angry, accusing even; if she had a knife buried in his heart, it was as if she was about to twist it. "I've had time to think about this," she continued, her whispers quickly morphing into a soft shout. "You _knew_ they were dead, and you didn't tell me. I'm not a little kid anymore."

He took a deep breath as he looked away, back to the street beyond the window, the moans of the dead slowly fading into the horizon. As she awaited his response, his eyes examined the city; a sign labeled "Downtown Athens: 1 mile" catching his attention.

"I didn't _know_ they were dead," Dominic finally decided to say, turning back to her as she glared at him. "My 'knowledge' of the future isn't complete, Clem, and sometimes things that I think happened don't happen. There was always the possibility your parents were alive, but you know what?" She didn't say anything as he paused. "It seems like our old friend the Stranger is the one to blame here, not me. Remember that radio broadcast you got from your mom? That was a recording Clem, from the very beginning. Because he's a _time traveler._ He _manipulated_ you. _He's_ the one that killed them."

Her eyes grew wider for a moment before they narrowed. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought you told me everything."

" _Everything_?" Dominic scoffed at the thought. "There's a million things I haven't told you, and you know why? Because you don't want to know them." When she didn't respond, he whispered out in anger, "did I tell you that Lee was supposed to die too? No? Okay."

Her fists clenched as she stormed away, tears already welling in her eyes. Within seconds, she rushed across the room and slammed the door behind her, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Dominic watched in silence, already knowing he had gone too far, but the dam had been broken, and there was no going back now.

* * *

The office hallway was cast into near darkness, forcing Molly to break out the flashlight as stepped toward the lone water cooler. She held an empty gallon jug in her hand, with Hilda in the other, before placing the jug underneath the cooler's faucet. Most of the coolers inside the office had been tapped clean previously by other survivors, only a few dared to venture deeper into the building, in fear of whatever may have dwelled within. Molly didn't care about the darkness however, all she needed was Hilda, and with it, nothing could stop her. The water poured from the faucet at a slow pace, generating a quiet splooshing noise from inside the cooler as the water slowly drained into her jug.

The past couple weeks had been pretty boring. They just moved from place to place like a couple of prehistoric nomads, her 'leader' choosing to keep moving despite how exhausting the journeys were. That wasn't the only thing about Dominic that irritated her however. Since Savannah, his temper had worsened, leading to numerous heated arguments between the pair, with Clementine watching silently from the sidelines. Every decision he made just seemed so stupid and hastily planned. Every once in awhile she couldn't help but think that maybe they'd be better off with her in charge, but Dominic, being the 'all-powerful prophet' he was, wouldn't stand for that. However, if the food situation got any worse, she would be forced to relieve him anyway.

She let go of the button on the faucet as the final drips fell into her now-full jug. _At least we've got plenty of water._ She sighed internally as she twisted the cap back on. As she weighed the jug in her hand, a deep voice wafted through the floor, stopping her cold in her tracks and signifying her worst fears. She dropped the jug in a panic as she pulled out her radio.

"Dom, we've got a bit of a problem here," she whispered into the radio, the faint sound of static filling the air as she waited for him to respond.

" _What's up?_ " Dominic's voice crackled, his tone nonchalant. She narrowed her eyes, annoyed by his lack of interest before holding the transmit button down again.

"I'm hearing voices from the ground floor," she added, her fingers clutching Hilda tighter as she peered towards the door across the hallway, leaving the jug behind. A sign marked "Stairway" was stapled above the door, barely visible in the darkness.

She could almost hear the man shrug. " _Maybe it's a ghost, who knows?_ "

"You're kidding, right?" She shot back.

" _Maybe,_ " he replied, sighing as he audibly shifted in his chair. " _I haven't seen anyone approach from my window._ "

"Well it's gotta be _someone_ ," she growled, "it can't be one of us."

" _Shit,_ " Dominic breathed. " _Just… find Clementine and get up here._ "

"What do you mean 'find Clementine'?!" She hissed. He was supposed to be watching her while she was getting water, where the hell could she have gone in the span of ten minutes?

" _We had an argument,_ " he deadpanned, his tone stating he didn't wish to discuss it further. " _Just find her and don't be seen._ "

"Please, this is me we're talking about," she rolled her eyes as she backtracked and grabbed the jug of water before starting for the stairs.

" _We watched you climb down a building in Savannah. You're a parkour artist, not a ninja. Just be careful._ "

* * *

Tears streamed down Clementine's face as she curled up in a corner of the dark bathroom. After holding in all the pain and suffering from losing her parents and Lee for so long, it finally broke over the mental dam in her mind, mixing into one perfect mental breakdown. She missed her parents so much; she missed Lee, and having that hope that he might still be alive out there ripped away in an instant left her feeling empty inside. There was no way he was dead. He was meant to be there to protect her, just like Dominic had promised at the very beginning. Why did she leave him? Why did she even trust that stranger? It was all her fault, no one else's. She was the reason Lee was dead and why Dominic endured all the torture the Stranger unleashed on him. She was the reason why he was slowly losing his humanity, and why he lashed out with anger when she brought up her parents. She was the one to blame for everything, and no one could stop the stream of tears pouring out of her eyes, or her tiny sniffles as she tried desperately to regain control.

 _I'm so sorry, Lee… I'm… I… Please don't be dead... please… I miss you…_

Her irregular heartbeat pounded against her eardrums as the thoughts consumed her mind, drowning out the sound of her uneven breaths in the darkness. All of her senses seemed to dim as the pulsating throb grew louder and louder. She could almost feel the blood pumping through her body, like a million tiny rivers flowing from her chest to wherever they were needed most. Every pump of her heart started the process all over again. After what felt like an eternity, she finally started to regain control of her body, every sense returning to her like an old friend. Lee was gone; her parents were gone; and now, so was she.

The sudden silence didn't last long however as a deep voice echoed down the hallway, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. It didn't sound like Dominic, so that could only mean one thing. Someone else was in the building with them. She struggled to her feet as sweat poured down her arms and legs, her breaths becoming shorter as she began to hyperventilate. _No no no no no no… not again, no, please, not again!_

As quickly and quietly as she could, she clicked open the door to one of the stalls in the bathroom, closing it shut behind her before struggling to climb on top of the toilet in the darkness. Her breathing grew even shorter as she tried to control it, a few seconds going by before she finally stopped. The strange voice grew louder, another, lighter-toned voice joining it. She began to shake with fear as they drew closer and closer until finally she heard the door open, and a tiny shred of light illuminated the bathroom floor.

"We need to do something about him man, if we keep goin' on like this, none of us are gettin' out alive," the lighter voice echoed into the bathroom. It sounded almost like a teenager, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old.

"Calm down, man," the other voice, a man with a hispanic accent, replied. "I don't like the shit he's doing any more than you do, but he's got too much support."

"You can still take over though," the teenager insisted as their footsteps echoed through the bathroom, stopping just a few stalls away from where Clementine was hiding. "You're the second in command! There's gotta be someone else that supports you."

"No," the Mexican sighed, a clanging noise reaching Clementine's ears as the man set down his pistol and opened a cupboard beneath the sink, rummaging through what's left inside. She held her breath as their flashlights darted from one place to the other, one nearly landing at the entrance to her stall. "What we did to those survivors in Macon… there's no going back from that. We're all monsters. Everyone's too far gone now. You and I are the only ones left that didn't join in in that massacre. Our only bet now is to just…" Clementine held her breath as her right foot suddenly slipped into the toilet, cutting the man's words off as the stale water splashed against her shoe.

The strangers stopped talking, a single thought obviously going through their minds, forcing Clementine's own mind into overdrive. _There's no way they didn't hear that._ Their flashlights started to move towards the stalls, a banging sound echoing inside the room as they kicked in the farthest stall door. The noise repeated every few seconds as they drew closer to her stall at the end of the row. She had to act fast, or she was going to die. Her hands shaking, she patted her waist looking for her pistol, raising it just in time to be blinded by the strangers' flashlights.

"What the fuck?!" The younger man gasped as she aimed her gun towards them, her arms shaking with fear, barely able to keep them fixed in place as they gawked at her.

"Get back!" She yelped, her finger already on the trigger. The man on the right raised his hand, his face obscured by the darkness looming behind the hilt of his flashlight.

"Whoa, calm down okay? We're not gonna hurt you!" The man added, taking a step back as he stopped the teenager from pulling out his weapon. She eyed them with suspicion as they looked at each other, telepathically trying to figure out what they were going to do next.

"Like you didn't hurt those survivors in Macon?" She retorted, the rim of the toilet wobbling as she tried to maintain her composure. The Mexican's eyes narrowed as he lowered his flashlight slightly.

"You don't know anything about that," the Mexican stated. "You obviously heard us talking; we didn't do nothing. Just… put the gun down, okay?"

"Bullshit," she whispered. No, these men were lying, she could see it in their eyes. They were killers, just like their friends, and she wasn't about to be their next victim.

"You shouldn't say such things," he replied in an even tone. "It'll rot your teeth out."

"Shut up!" She snapped, pulling down the hammer on her pistol, "Just go away."

"Adrian, they're going to find us if we don't shut her up!" The teenager screeched to the older man, taking a step towards the stall before the Mexican pushed him back.

"She's a little girl, Tyler! What do you expect me to do, shoot her?!" The Mexican, Adrian, snapped back.

"They'll know something's up if they find us meeting like this!" Tyler growled as he reached towards his belt.

"No, we can't!" Adrian pushed him back against the wall, leaving Clementine to watch in fear as he ripped the pistol out of the younger boy's hands.

"Let go of me!" Tyler snarled, sending a punch in his friend's direction, connecting with the older man's face. Adrian kneed him in the groin, gripping Tyler's fist as the boy yelped out in pain, slamming it against the mirror, forcing the boy to drop his flashlight to the tiled floor.

" _We won't kill a child!_ " Adrian finished with anger as he held his friend back.

" _We've got no choice,_ " Tyler croaked.

They stared each other down as Clementine watched in shock from the toilet, hardly believing what had just happened. As quickly as the fight started, it was over, the boy backing down as Adrian's free fist lowered. They stood there for a moment, breathing heavily before the bathroom door opened once more, a woman's voice piercing the air as she stepped into the room, weapon at the ready.

"Get away from her."

 _Molly._

Everything became a blur as the two men sprang into action, guns raised towards the newcomer.

" **NO!** " Clementine screeched as she aimed her pistol at the teenager and pulled the trigger, the resulting shot deafening her as the boy's brains splattered all over the wall and Adrian. The older man screamed in surprise before turning toward her, granting Molly just enough time to sprint across the room and swing Hilda as hard as she could into his brain, her pickaxe smashing the man's head against the mirror. Blood oozed out of the wound around the axe, covering the man's face as his eyes remained permanently fixed on Molly with a wide eyed look of fear and shock.

Clementine dropped her gun as she watched Molly rip Hilda out of the man's brain with a sickening thud, the body slowly sinking to the floo. She turned to Clementine and sighed with relief as she spoke. "All this time we've had _Dominic_ with the pistol, when it should've been you from the beginning."

Clementine laughed hysterically before hopping off the toilet, running up to Molly and hugging her tightly. "You okay?" Molly asked as hugged the little girl back, bending down to Clementine's eye level as the girl looked up at her. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, but they've got more friends out there," Clementine gasped out between breaths.

"Don't worry about them right now," Molly whispered, grabbing her hand to reassure her that she was safe. "We need to get Dominic and get the fuck out of here."

Clementine nodded in agreement, following Molly as they stepped over the bodies and out into the hallway, blissfully unaware of the horrors now marching towards their abode, both alive and dead.


	22. Don't Leave Me

**Living In A World of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 2: No Safe Haven**

 **Chapter 22: Don't Leave Me**

* * *

"Molly? What the hell is going on down there?!" Dominic shouted into his radio, the chair disappearing from underneath him as he flew out of it. Everything was spinning out of his control, the lone gunshot that reverberated through the building being the final nail in the coffin. The uncertainty of _who_ had gotten shot was driving him crazy, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat as the anxiety settled in.

" _Couple guys jumped Clem and I,_ " Molly replied, her breathing erratic as the faint sound of their footsteps resounded in the background. She huffed out a sarcastic remark as she opened a door. " _We're fine by the way, thanks for asking._ "

"It was the next thing on my list," Dominic growled, pushing the chair out of his way as he ran across the room, rummaging through their belongings and tossing them into their backpacks. "I'm getting our shit together. That shot's gonna attract some attention we really don't want to be around to see. We're leaving."

"Way ahead of you kid," Molly deadpanned as she burst into the room, Clementine's hand locked in her own. He looked up from his packing to see Clementine's red eyes, her cheeks reflecting the faint light from the window.

"Have you been crying?" A twinge of guilt bubbled in his stomach after the words spilled out of his mouth. She glared at him with a blank look before taking her purple backpack from him, turning away without a word, leaving Dominic speechless as he watched her walk away and slip on her blue hoodie.

"She's had a rough day," Molly interjected, grabbing her own pack from Dominic. "I'm sure that argument you mentioned has a lot to do with it, whatever it was about."

Dominic sighed, the realization now dawning on him that he wasn't in either of their good graces at the moment. "We'll talk about it later, right now we gotta move before whoever or whatever shows up at our front door. Here, take this," He pulled out a glock they had found a few months prior from his pack and handed it to Molly. "If their friends come looking for them, best to be prepared."

"Finally, a smart decision," Molly grumbled, accepting the pistol before pocketing it in her new black and white windbreaker.

"Fuck you."

"Ha! You wish," She retorted, turning and walking out the door, leaving Dominic with Clementine, who stared out the window, scratching her forearm slightly as she scanned the street for any movement heading their way. The way she avoided him made him feel as if a rock was lodged in the back of his throat, with even more rocks filling his stomach until it couldn't hold any more.

He just couldn't wait, he had to say something now, no matter how much he knew they needed to leave. He took a few careful steps towards her as she stared out the window, his lip twitching slightly as he tried to form the words he needed to say in his mind. "Listen, I'm sorry that I snapped at you earlier, it's just…"

"There's someone out there," She remarked, interrupting Dominic's apology without a second thought. _Damn it._ He joined her at the window to see three distant specks moving towards them, too fast to be walkers.

He sighed. "When there's one, there's a whole pack of 'em." He reached into his backpack for his revolver, but finding nothing but ziploc bags of food and his flashlight. "What the fuck? Where's my gun?"

Without looking at him, Clementine slipped the revolver out of her pocket and extended it toward him, her face contorting with a look of sadness as he grabbed it from her. "Clem, why the hell did you have my gun?" She didn't answer, instead choosing to continue watching the specks in the distance, which sent a cold shiver down his spine. _No, she didn't plan to… did she?_ He flicked open the cylinder to find a single bullet missing. His eyes darted back toward her, the gunshot he heard earlier… "You killed one of them?"

"Yeah," she stated in a half-flat tone, her voice wavering from apathy to sorrow before finally settling on regret.

"Jesus Clem," Dominic breathed, weighing the revolver in his hands. "I'm glad you're okay but, why did you take my gun? You weren't trying to…?"

She glared up at him as if he had suggested she had snakes growing out of her head. "No, I-"

" _You guys coming or what?!_ " Molly called from the hallway, stopping the conversation short. " _The goal is to actually leave_ _ **before**_ _the bad guys show up, dumbass._ "

With the bell rung, Dominic sighed and dropped the conversation, gripping the revolver tightly as he nudged Clementine towards the exit. It was time to do or die.

* * *

The halls of the office were deathly silent as Dominic stepped toward the foyer, the darkness within the room turned every piece of furniture into a silhouette, each one potentially hiding something waiting to kill him. However, Dominic's eyes remained locked on the wooden door ahead of him, on the opposite side of the foyer. He was waiting for bullets to start flying through the thin slab of wood as the strangers approached them. He flinched when Molly nudged him, a part of his mind going into survival mode before it finally registered. She gestured back down the hallway that lead to the back door, where the office had its dumpster and parking.

"I'm coming, just get going," Dominic whispered before turning back toward the foyer. He stepped into the room as quietly as he could, the wooden floor beneath him squeaking slightly as he moved. He could hardly see the chandelier fixed in place above the room, or the reception desk slapped in against the wall on his left. Two windows flanked the main entrance, each covered with a thin curtain, colorless in the darkness. Dominic had to do something to slow down their pursuers, if they just left out the back door without blockading the front, there's a possibility that they would just follow them through the building and catch them off guard in the back alley. At least this way, if they decided to circle around the building, they'd be right where Dominic wanted them: in _his_ killzone. As he approached the entrance, Dominic weighed the thick metal desk leg in his hand, hoping to whatever divine spirit that possibly existed that it was enough to keep them from breaking in the door easily. As he slid the bar in between the door handles, voices slowly reached his ears.

" _This is where the shots came from,_ " A deep voice stated aloud, just barely audible through the walls of the office.

" _Are we sure it was Adrian that fired the shot? He wasn't even meant to be out this way,_ " another voice added.

" _Then it could've been Tyler. They both haven't reported in. It's too much of a coincidence._ "

" _For fuck sake. Just get in there and find out, you fucking pussies_." A third voice added, this one catching Dominic's attention, the accent specifically; this third man was British.

Dominic nearly tripped backward as the men pushed the door, the metal bar denying them entrance beyond a few inches.

" _Shit, the door's jammed,_ " A voice stated in anger as they pushed against the door harder, just enough that the metal bar was barely visible through the thin crack.

" _Y'all see that?_ " The deeper voice shouted, Dominic almost imagined the man sticking his finger out like a child pointing out a toy for his parents to buy for him. " _Some asshole's barricaded the door!_ "

 _Shit. Time to go._

" _Adrian? Tyler? You in there?! Open the fucking door! It's fucking freezing out here!_ " The British man shouted into the crack.

"Not this time, boys," Dominic whispered as he ran into the hallway, disappearing into the darkness like a ghost. As he rounded the corner, more bangs and cracks reached his ears from behind him, until the sound of glass shattering finished it.

 _Damn it! They're coming through the windows! You stupid, fucking…!_

Footsteps echoed through the hallway as he ran towards the faint light in the distance, where the back door remained ajar for him. As he reached the door, he heard one of the men shout to his comrades.

" _Jesus Christ! Mitch, I found them! They're fucking dead! Gunshot and a stab wound!_ "

" _Some fuckers killed them?!"_

* * *

Clementine couldn't help but shiver as Molly and her waited for Dominic in the snow-laden alleyway, her blue hoodie was more like a thin t-shirt in the freezing weather, barely retaining any warmth. Beside her, she could hear Molly let out a frustrated sigh as she tapped her foot in the snow, looking down at Clementine every few seconds before they finally heard footsteps approaching them as Dominic rushed out the door before closing it silently behind him.

"What took you so long?" Molly deadpanned.

"Run!" He hissed, the urgency in his voice sending a spark of electricity throughout their bodies. With the order given, they sprinted out the gate and into the alley, nearly slipping in the fresh snow. The walls of the aging brick offices closed in around them, as if they were slowly drifting towards each other, until they eventually would crush them. Clementine's foot slid in the snow, catching her by surprise as she let out a sharp gasp, her body colliding with the thin layer of snow and concrete. Without a second thought, Dominic stopped and grabbed her hand, pulling her up just before a loud bang pierced the air, a bullet whizzing by his nose. Three men approached from the way they came, each brandishing pistols.

" **GO GO GO GO!** " Dominic barked as he nearly slipped himself, sprinting as fast as his legs would let him, taking a brief second to fire a few suppressing shots at the strangers. The alley had become so thin that there was nothing for them to hide behind, the only cover was a few meters away, where the street began. More bullets ricocheted around them, each one stopping Clementine's heart as she anticipated one of them to hit them.

" **WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING, HUH?! YOU KILLED ADRIAN AND TYLER, YOU FUCKING CUNTS!** " The British man, who seemed to be leading the squad, screamed toward them, several loud bangs punctuated his yelling.

Within seconds the alleyway opened up to the street beyond, Dominic's heart dropping when he saw the sight of a thousand walkers stumbling toward them in the distance. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, with only one way out, and if they ran down the road deeper into the city, these men would only shoot them in the back. They had to deal with one problem at a time.

As the bullets chipped away the bricks next to Dominic's head, he pushed Clementine behind the brick wall. She gasped in shock before Dominic's harsh voice cut her off. "Stay here!" He hissed as he turned around and took a peek around the wall, nearly receiving a bullet as a reward.

"Damn it!" Dominic jerked his head back as he gasped. They'd gotten lucky so far, but their luck was going to run out eventually. Sighing, Dominic turned to Molly, who took cover on the opposite side of the alley entrance. "Any bright ideas?"

"Aren't _you_ supposed to be the leader?" She retorted, popping a few rounds off into the alley with her Glock, unable to get a clear shot from the amount of bullets being shot back at them.

"Now's not the time for this shit," Dominic growled. "We've got walkers comin' from one direction, and assholes in the other. We need a fucking plan."

"Shoot first, ask questions later?"

"Simple enough," Dominic muttered. The men were nearly on top of them now; there was only a few seconds left before they'd be right on top of them.

"Fuck it," Dominic whispered, taking the chance to aim his gun and fire at the man in the center of the group, his bullet burrowing its way into the stranger's forehead. With the plan executed, Molly joined in, taking a few pot shots at one of the remaining shooters, one of them slicing through the man's abdomen. The man screamed in pain before slumping to the ground, the final stranger roaring a battle cry before rushing them like a crazed maniac, firing until his magazine was empty, one bullet missing Dominic's ear by mere centimeters. Dominic pulled the trigger again, firing off two more bullets, each finding its place into the crazed man's chest. The blood from the brutal attack turned the snow into a red goop, making Clementine want to vomit as she peeked around the edge.

With one threat eliminated, Dominic turned to Molly as she ran across the opening and grabbed Clementine's hand, the roar of the herd of walkers approaching hitting them like a wall of noise as it replaced the hail of gunfire. Without hesitation, they stomped down the street, the walkers closing in on them fast. If they were going to get to the escape route, it had to be now.

 **BANG!**

Clementine felt herself tumble forward as something lodged into her body, Molly's hand the only thing preventing her from falling flat on her face. Dominic ducked instinctively as the shot echoed through the city, slipping as he lost traction in the snow, barely catching himself with his free hand. He turned around to see where the shot had come from, only to see the man Molly had shot in the stomach looking up at them, his pistol smoking in the cold. Before the man could fire another shot, Dominic aimed and fired his last bullet into the man's nose, killing him instantly.

" _Oh my god!_ " Molly's voice barely registered in his head as he stared down the downed bandit. He had to make sure none of the others were still alive. Gulping down the spit accumulating in his mouth, he turned to see Molly staring down at Clementine, who stared up at her in shock on the ground. A red hole had appeared in her abdomen, just barely missing her stomach, blood seeping out at a rapid pace.

In that instant, something in Dominic snapped in half. " **NO!** " His eyes nearly burst of of their sockets as the rage filled his stomach, putting his his gun in his pocket before pulling out his knife and stomping towards the man that fired the bullet, screaming gibberish as he approached. Clementine watched in horror as he stabbed the man in the head repeatedly, each slice turning the man's face into a bloody mush, the Dominic that she had known gone within an instant. As her eyes closed by their own accord, she heard Dominic scream with fury. " **I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!** "

Before everything faded to black, a hand gripped her shoulder, Molly's voice calling out to her just beyond the veil. " _Clem?_ _ **CLEM?!**_ "

* * *

" _Clem? Clementine?" The familiar voice echoed in her ears, barely audible over the white noise that had deafened her just moments before. Her eyes flew open as she gasped in shock, the world around her nothing but a blurry mess as she looked around for where the voice had come from, only to see Lee looking back down at her, a look of concern etched on his face._

" _Wh-where am I…?" Clementine mumbled, her tiny voice sounding unfamiliar to her ears. Her eyes darted across the room; she was sitting on a rather uncomfortable couch inside an RV, Lee sitting next to her on her left. Dominic was passed out on her opposite side, with a deep, red wound glowing on his shoulder. Towards the back of the RV, she could see Carley and Ben sitting at a table, shuffling through a deck of cards. Kenny was driving in the front, with Katjaa sitting opposite him, Duck cradled in her arms like a beloved baby. A feeling of deja vu washed over her as she turned back to Lee, who smiled down at her just like her father used to when she would come home from school, back when things were normal and happiness was a thing that people felt._

" _It's just a bad dream, sweet pea," Lee's deep voice had a calming effect on her nerves; every little worry in the back of her mind, and every fear she had of what was happening dissolved into her subconscious. She was starting to feel at peace, probably for the first time in over a year, but that couldn't be right; it's only been three months, or had she lost count? She gazed up at him for a moment, the confusion that still plagued her mind catching her guardian's attention._

" _What was it about?" He asked, his eyes watching her every move as her faint smile faded. "Duck?"_

 _The mention of her friend's name jogged her memory as her eyes instantly went to the boy, who had curled into a ball in his mother's arms as she patted him softly, her eyes devoid of life as the only life she cared for withered away in her arms. "He's bit…" Clementine finally whispered, images flying through her mind like a train: Katjaa and Duck attacked by walkers during the bandit raid on the Motel, Lee's sullen demeanor after being informed of the boy's bite, Katjaa slowly losing hope that her son would survive, and then… the gunshot in the distance. She could remember it all, but how could she remember? They haven't happened yet…_

" _There's nothing we can do to save him," Lee replied, his voice just as somber as her own. "What happened to Shawn back on Hershel's farm… we had a chance, we had time, you know? But now, we found out too late." Lee sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he fought off a headache. "I'm starting to think that maybe…"_

" _What?" Clementine asked softly, looking up at her guardian as he stared off into space._

" _That Dominic was wrong all along."_

 _His eyes grew glassy as he stared out the tiny window on the door across from them, the trees passing by like thin pillars, barely visible before the impending dawn. Clementine turned back to Dominic, watching as he breathed in and out erratically. She looked back at Lee as he sighed, finally asking the question that had been burning in her mind since the event took place._

" _Lee…?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _Why did Lilly try to shoot Carley?"_

 _He shrugged, his eyes drifting toward Carley and staying for a few seconds before his gaze dropped. "I don't know," he whispered. "She was sad, Clem. That can make people angry sometimes."_

" _That's a dumb reason," Clementine muttered._

" _You're right. It is," Lee affirmed, looking in her eyes as he spoke. "Clem, sometimes people don't always make sense."_

" _How come?"_

"' _Cause bad things happen to everyone, and it's hard to keep bein' yourself after they do," Clementine closed her eyes as a tear threatened to burst through the dam. Memories that she shouldn't have bubbled across the surface of her mind: Dominic killing that man at the farm, the way he had given up when the Stranger tried to break him, the way he snapped at her when he told her that Lee was…_

" _Do you think we should've let Lilly stay?" Lee pushed her rampant thoughts away, her eyes going back up to him as she thought about the question._

" _I don't know," she answered, she didn't understand the intricacies of how people were and the sense of morality that slowly faded away in light of this new world. How could she? This wasn't the world she was meant to be living in. The true reasons why Lilly had done was she did were beyond her comprehension. Trying to kill someone, especially someone who was a friend, just didn't make sense, and what happened to Dominic, and what nearly happened to Carley, it wasn't something that was forgivable. Killing someone never was._

 _Lee let out another sigh. "I don't either." He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before he continued. "I don't know if we did the right thing."_

" _How can you tell?"_

" _Well, it's not like math, Clem," Lee answered as he leaned forward, placing his head in the palms of his hands. "Sometimes there just isn't a right answer."_

" _I hate math," she muttered, her mouth twisting with disgust._

 _He laughed. "Me too, sweet pea." His eyes returned to the floor beneath him, examining each panel of wood as if they would tell him what to say. "Yeah, but part of growing up is doing what's best for the people you care about… even if sometimes that means hurting someone else."_

 _Her frown deepened as she thought it over, finally realizing the one thing that she knew to be true. "I don't want to hurt anyone."_

" _It's not that easy," he replied. "Sometimes you've got no choice."_

 _The flashes of memories were becoming too much for her, each image becoming more horrifying and grotesque than the last. One image depicted a smoking revolver in her hands, the deafening bang it made more like a faint pop as she watched herself kill the Stranger, leaving Dominic clawing at his throat as he tried to breathe in. The next image was of a bathroom wall, blood and brain matter smeared all over as a body slumped to the floor in front of her; the cold metal of that same gun in her hands froze her to the very core. She shuddered with despair as she realized just who she was going to become; what this world did to everyone._

" _I'm scared, Lee," she whimpered as she tried to fight off the images, but they were too ingrained in her head to be removed. She had experienced so much, but at the same time, so little. The thought of what could possibly be worse had become more gut wrenching than everything about herself she feared the most. The worst part of it all was that Lee wouldn't be there to shield her from it all anymore._

" _What can I tell you to make it better?" Lee's voice soothed her as she looked up at him, but it was no use, she knew exactly what was to come, even though she wanted to forget it._

" _That you won't leave me." It was the only thing she wanted; the only thing that could make the horrors she will experience bearable._

" _Oh, I wouldn't do that," Lee smiled. "I promise."_

 _She openly weeped into his shirt as she hugged him, his voice like an angel as he whispered to her. "Everything's going to be alright, sweet pea."_

 _She laid against him as he wrapped his arm around her. "Now, let's try to get some sleep," he purred as her vision dimmed, her eyes flickering as she tried to keep them open, only to eventually give in to the fatigue that now plagued her body._

" _Okay, Lee." She whispered, ready for whatever awaited her on the other side._

* * *

There was nothing but red left in his vision. The ground beneath him had become a gooey, crimson mess; the body lying inches away from his blade in ruins. The man's face was torn apart, not by walkers, but by Dominic's sheer brutality, fueled by the rage that consumed him. The blood covered his hands like a layer of paint, staining his hands with a permanent crimson. His eyes fluttered back and forth between his knife and the slab of meat in front of him, his mouth agape as he struggled to stop shaking. He didn't notice Molly running toward him, or her screaming at him, or even when she started shooting the walkers approaching them. He didn't care. This son of a bitch shot the one girl he had been trying to protect for over a year and a half now, and nothing was going to stop him. He deserved every little thing Dominic did to him, right down to bones that were now sliced into even slices. There was no regret in his heart, no remorse, no mercy. He was _justified_.

" _Dominic, for the last time!_ _**GET THE FUCK UP!**_ " Molly was screaming into his ear now, firing another shot into the crowd of walkers that were now reaching the intersection behind them, before finally slapping Dominic as hard as she could.

Dominic glared up at her in rage as he held his knife in the air, blood dripping off of it in clumps. " **I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!** " He roared, not aware of who the threat was directed at, he didn't care anyway.

" **FUCKING SNAP OUT OF IT! CLEMENTINE IS GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T MAN THE FUCK UP AND GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!** " Molly roared back, shoving him back as he approached her.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at her, breathing in and out like a wild animal ready for the kill, but the mention of Clementine left him stunned for a few seconds. His eyes instantly went to her body in the street, the sea of the undead ready to overwhelm them. Without another word, he shot her a demented look before tearing into the intersection, swooping up Clementine in his arms. Molly struggled to keep up with them, their escape window seconds from closing.

The man was feral now, grunting as he sprinted faster and faster down the road, his eyes jumping from building to building in hopes that one of them would be revealed as a pharmacy or a clinic, somewhere where he could get the supplies he needed to save her. The world around him faded away, replaced by the sound of Clementine's erratic breathing. He had to find _something_ , **anything** to save her life. It had to be now. Just a couple more feet, a couple miles, it didn't matter. He was going to save her; he wasn't going to let that piece of shit win. Not today.

Through his tunnel vision, Dominic could see what appeared to be a large college in the distance, maybe a mile down the road. That was it. That was salvation. That place would have medicine, bandages, everything he'd need. He just needed to get there before the walkers did.

As Dominic ran across an empty intersection, a large vehicle screeched to a stop next to him, mere centimeters away from turning him into a flattened pancake underneath. Dominic didn't care though, he held onto Clementine like a lifeline as he stared up at the vehicle, which appeared to be some sort of army transport, before pulling out his pistol, ready for whoever came out. Behind him, he could hear Molly shouting for him, but he couldn't make out the words through the fog clouding his mind.

Five men in army uniforms jumped out of the transport, surrounding Dominic and Molly with their rifles raised, their eyes wide when they noticed the little girl in Dominic's arms.

"What? You gonna shoot a man carrying an injured kid?" Dominic barked as he held his gun on the strangers.

They studied him with shocked glances, the blood dripping off his hands and face as he held onto the little girl making the boy look like a deranged lunatic. Another soldier hopped out from behind the truck, taking one quick look at Dominic before muttering in a whisper, " _Holy shit._ "


	23. Monsters

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 2: No Safe Haven**

 **Chapter 23: Monsters**

* * *

Time froze in an instant as Molly stared down the squad of soldiers in front of them. Everything had happened so fast that she could hardly process them all: Clementine being shot, Dominic mutilating that bandit's face with his knife, then coming across these soldiers, nearly watching both Dominic and Clementine get smushed in the process. The world was in fast forward mode, but now it crawled to a standstill as she and Dominic tried to regain their breath. The soldier that approached from the back of the truck stepped towards them, his uniform covered in the snow that still fell from the sky. He had a shaved head, with only miniscule brown hairs left behind. There was a dull red scar along his right cheek, where a bullet or a knife must have grazed him, his eyes were a bright blue as they watched Dominic with suspicion. Molly stepped toward Dominic, taking away his gun as the boy glared at the soldiers in anger, his mind still in 'crazy defense mode', or whatever it was, she really wasn't sure. All she knew is that she needed to pacify him if they were going to get out of this alive, even if that meant she needed to take over the situation.

The scarred soldier exchanged looks with his soldiers before finally opening his mouth again. "Y'all look like you've been through hell."

"She's been shot!" Molly stated aloud. She knew that they could probably see that, but a part of her also knew she needed their help to save Clementine, and all the pointless introductions that was bound to ensue would get in the way of that. "I know that you don't know us, and you have zero reason to trust us, but please, if you've got a camp, or a doctor, or _something_ … help us. She's going to die if we don't get the bullet out and stop the bleeding!"

"Fuck them," Dominic growled, still clutching Clementine in his arms as he glared in Molly's direction. "We don't need their help."

"Shut up, Dominic," Molly snapped, her blue eyes burning a fiery red, as if damning the boy to hell.

"We've got a camp not too far from here," The soldier interjected, his gaze wavering between the calm woman and the enraged boy. "But if _he's_ going to be a problem, y'all aren't going anywhere with us."

"He won't," Molly affirmed, her eyes locked on the soldier as he exchanged glances with the five men surrounding him.

"Alright," The man sighed, his attention returning to Molly as she visibly let out a breath of relief. He turned to the soldier on his right. "Help him get the girl into the truck, I'll be right behind you." The soldier gave a brief nod before stepping towards the younger boy holding the girl. Dominic tensed, only to relax when Molly glared at him again. His head lowered slightly before following the soldier, the others filing back into their respective seats in the back of the infantry truck. Molly was left with the squad leader, who eyed her with curiosity, finally speaking as everyone departed. "The name's Corporal Tobias Kennedy, what's yours?"

"Molly," she replied in a flat tone. "The dumbass is Dominic, obviously, and the little girl is Clementine. Thanks for this, you guys showed up just at the right moment," she deadpanned.

"Don't worry, Dr. Ainsworth will fix her up good," Tobias affirmed as they shuffled towards the back of the truck, noticeably friendlier knowing the names of these strangers he was now taking home. "He's the best doctor in the state of Georgia," he let out a short laugh at the thought. "Hell, probably the only doctor now."

She gave him a short nod, feeling a little better with that knowledge in mind. As they climbed into the back of the truck, she took a seat next to Dominic, who continued to hold Clementine in his arms, not caring about the blood dripping down his face and his hands. Molly turned back to Tobias just as he was barking orders out to the other soldiers.

"Let's get moving, those roamers are going to starting filling the street any minute now!"

"So where's your camp at?" Molly asked, genuinely curious how these soldiers are even alive in this hellhole, especially after the collapse of the military over a year ago. "Is it in the city?"

"We had three refugee camps stationed in the city when this shit began," Tobias replied, his eyes flashing toward her as he spoke. "Roamers took one of them, the other, well, some rather unfriendly civvies burned it down a while back, haven't heard a peep from them since. We've walled off a good section of the grounds at UGA, and it's been our home ever since."

"How many of you are there?" Molly added. The fact that these soldiers had put up a fence around the college must mean they've got a lot of people there. She had almost gone to UGA for college before everything fell apart, but her mountain climbing trips with her father had always taken precedence. She did visit the college once though, and it was huge; she could hardly believe anyone, even the military, could put a fence up around something that big.

"We've got at least thirty civilians in the camp," Tobias confirmed, his tone as casual as ever. "There's only fifteen of us, of my squad anyway, left at the camp." His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched dilapidated storefronts breeze by, the snowfall that once blinded them not starting to cease. "The rest didn't make it."

"You don't sound that upset about it," Dominic deadpanned, butting his way into the conversation as he wiped the blood from his hands onto his already stained jeans.

"You survive this long, and you become numb to death," The man stated, his eyes gazing over Dominic as if judging him. "Looks like you can relate."

"You have no idea."

The three soldiers sitting with them in the back shifted uncomfortably in Dominic's presence. It irked Dominic like nothing else; what gave these self-entitled pricks the right to judge him? Just because they're military? Pretty much anyone alive now was a soldier at heart, the will to survive being the only thing that separated them from the dead. He was no different than them, so fuck them for thinking they were better. If they weren't too busy leaving their posts to find their families, and actually handled the zombie threat properly, the world wouldn't of been in this mess. The fact that the military had fallen in the first place said a lot about the government in his eyes.

The conversation died down as they approached the camp, the banter replaced by a sense of awe as Molly took in the sight of the camp. A tall chain link fence ran around the massive brick building; a black fabric was embedded into the fence, obscuring the world within from view. Every few feet, a sign was placed on the fence, stating 'Welcome to the UGA Refugee Camp. Survivors will be aided, raiders will be punished.' On the opposite side of the road, several buildings were in ruin, moss ebbing into the cracks between their bricks, breaking them apart at the seams. Symbols were painted onto the apartment doors in a similar fashion to what Molly remembered from Savannah. In the distance, a large football field loomed, towering over the snow-laden trees. The road itself was barren, with only a few vehicles here and there, a soldier or two standing on top of wooden lookout posts stationed just within the camp, each glancing at them with curiosity as they drove past. An intersection appeared ahead of them, two of the four roads blocked off with hand-made barricades and barbed wire. There were several pointed poles of wood stabbed through the barricades, a few of them with a walker impaled on them, their familiar growls filling the air as the truck approached. The road on their right appeared to be the only visible entrance to the camp, with two soldiers posted just outside the large gate.

Molly could see silhouettes moving about just within the fence: men, women, even children. There were so many of them that she could hardly grasp it. For so long it had just been her, Dominic, and Clementine, and now they were going somewhere they could possibly stay for a while; a place that had _people_. She used to enjoy moving around, and being on her own, but she was tired, and this seemed like as good of a place as any to settle down for a while. Dominic seemed to think that too; his glare softened as the playful shouts of children filled the air, several parents calling for them to calm down and come eat their lunch, only to receive annoyed groans in response. It was almost too good to be true. Here they were, hardened survivors with nowhere to go, and nowhere to call home, just outside a world where children played and people lived happier lives. Tobias seemed to take notice of this as he smiled in Molly's direction, causing her to smile back as she began to think it through. Maybe, just maybe, they had found their new home.

The truck came to a stop just within the intersection, each of the soldiers in the truck gazing at their surroundings before filing out. Tobias grabbed a radio from his belt as he stood up, taking a short look in Clementine's direction before pressing the button.

"Wolffe, we've brought a couple civilians and wounded little girl back from our run. Tell Dr. Ainsworth get ready for a surgery, over."

A few seconds passed before another voice replied; the voice a deep monotone compared to Tobias' treble one. " _The girl ain't bit is she?_ "

"No, bullet wound," his eyes flicked over the girl's body before continuing. "I don't think it went clean through."

" _Alright, I'm on my way. Good work, over."_

Tobias slid the radio back onto his belt before jumping onto the street below, turning back to help Molly down. She nearly slipped in the snow before looking back at him. "Who's this Wolffe guy? Your leader?"

"Yeah, Sergeant James Wolffe. We served in Iraq together before the shit hit the fan. He's the one keeping this place going, I just held defend it." He turned around to help Dominic lower Clementine out of the truck, the younger boy glaring at him before pulling Clementine away, holding her tightly in his arms as he looked up at Tobias, who sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, his eyes returning to where Molly stood next to the truck.

"Listen, I'm gonna have to take your weapons," Tobias stated in a flat tone. "I don't want to cause a panic when we get inside. I'm sure you understand."

Dominic glared at him before shuffling Clementine in his arms; he was already wary of these men for just being military, but they didn't seem to have a choice. He held onto Clementine with left arm, reaching down to his knife before giving it to Tobias, with Molly following suit with her glock and his revolver.

"Thanks," he let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, just stick close to me. The locals don't take too kindly to strangers, but they mean no harm. Wollfe will meet us in the plaza as soon as we get in. Let's go."

The newcomers nodded in understanding before following Tobias and the rest of the squad to the entrance. The two soldiers standing guard quickly saluted as they approached, pulling the gate open when Tobias waved his hand in Clementine's direction.

The world within stood in contrast to the world outside. People moved about their day without looking in their direction, the children they heard earlier throwing snowballs at each in the middle of the plaza now that they're lunch was finished. A few eyes of the parents found them as the gate screeched closed, curiosity quickly replaced by suspicion as the sight of the young man covered in blood. To them, he must've looked like a monster, but he didn't care. They didn't know him, or what he had done, or what he'd seen. They've lived in paradise while he scavenged to get by. Hell, he made it this far taking care of Clementine, he probably was a better parent than them too.

Oblivious to Dominic's scowling, Molly examined every inch of the plaza. Tents were situated around the open space in packs, each pack belonging to a different family presumably. The brick walls of the college dwarfed the square like a looming guardian. Windows dotted the building at regular intervals, some broken, while others were boarded up. Graffiti littered the walls all across the square. A few caught her eye as they moved into the center of the square, one particular one sending a chill down her spine, the bold red letters almost like blood smeared on the wall.

 _The monsters won't go away._

Her eyes widened for a moment just before a strange voice forced her attention back to reality. She turned to see a young woman with short brown hair strolling towards them. "Yo, Toby! Who're the newbies?"

"Not now Chloe, we've gotta get the girl to Ainsworth," Tobias stated in a flat tone, noticeably annoyed by the intrusion. The woman's eyes fluttered from him to Dominic, finally noticing the little girl in man's arms.

"Holy shit," she breathed.

As she took a step back, a pair of men burst out of the building. The taller man wore a uniform like the rest of the soldiers, his short black hair covered underneath a USMC cap, with a pair of thick-rimmed glasses sitting on his nose. The other man wore a lab coat, his grey hair receding as age caught up with him.

"Get her inside! Quickly!" The man wearing the lab coat, who Molly presumed to be Doctor Ainsworth, shouted as they approached the newcomers. Dominic held Clementine tighter before running for the door the doctor had come from. The group crashed through the doors just behind him.

"Where the hell am I going?" Dominic shouted to Tobias as they ran into the dimly lit hallway.

"Turn right here, the medical center will be on your left!" He shouted back. They sprinted through the hallway until they burst into another room, a library. Dominic desperately searched for a spare bed in the clustered room, the other patients staring at him in shock, before he finally found an empty bed at the back of the makeshift medical center. The group rushed over as he laid her down, her breathing slowing down as more blood seeped from the wound. He turned back to the doctor, his gaze murderous. "Help her."

Ainsworth nodded before calling out to the Tobias. "Get me a medkit, now!" He scrambled off at the order, searching the massive room for the kit before he finally found it stashed next to one of the other patients. The doctor turned back to Dominic as Tobias came back with the kit. "I'll do what I can to save your girl, but I'm gonna need you to take a step back and let us handle it, okay?"

Dominic nodded hesitantly before stepping back into a corner; they gathered around the bed as Ainsworth went to work, the older man pulling out several items from the kit: a pair of tweezers, a scalpel, a bottle of alcohol, and some latex gloves, before lifting the girl's blue hoodie and stained red t-shirt up enough to see the wound. It glowed a bright crimson red, as if it could cast a light of its own in the darkened room. Taking a deep breath, he took the scalpel in his hands and pulled at the flesh. Molly stood off to the side, cringing as she watched, her body shaking as she tried to come to terms with the events happening around her. Her right arm wrapped around her stomach, while her other hand clenched open and closed repeatedly, the tears that would've been shed already long gone from her tear ducts. Dominic could hear her whispering over and over, the same word. "Please please please please please…" Or maybe it was him saying it, he didn't know.

"I can see the bullet, it isn't that deep!" Ainsworth announced to the group before grabbing the tweezers and reaching into the wound. Clementine screamed as the sudden pain erupted from her stomach, her eyes shooting open as she began to spasm.

"You're hurting her!" Dominic shouted as he felt himself lurch forward. He wanted to tell the man to put her under with something, but he found himself choking on the words as Molly pulled him back.

"We don't got any anesthetic to give her!" Ainsworth shouted back, "just stay back and let me finish!"

He squeezed the tweezers around the bullet, yanking it out as hard as he could, the bullet coming with it, in one piece. Clementine screamed again before the pain became too much to bear, her eyes shutting by their own accord. Without skipping a beat, the doctor twisted the cap off the alcohol bottle and poured it onto the wound a slow pace, silently hoping that the pain would go unnoticed by the young girl. The crimson flesh around the wound turned an almost sickly white as the alcohol sanitized the area. Tobias handed over a roll of elastic bandages to him, which the doctor quickly wrapped around her stomach. The area above the wound quickly turned red, but to his relief, the blood didn't seep through the bandage. Ainsworth wrapped another layer over the area for good measure before letting out a heavy sigh and standing up.

"The bleeding's slowing down," He spoke softly before turning to where Molly watched from beside the bed, "but I want you to apply pressure to the wound for a while, just to make sure."

She nodded before taking a seat next to the bed and pressed her hands against Clementine's stomach. Dominic's eyes softened before he fell back against the bookcase behind him, finally letting out the breath he had been holding in since the procedure began, he closed his eyes as he shook with relief.

She was going to live. She was safe. He felt himself tear up as he began to laugh. The world tried to beat him down, and he beat it.

"Welcome to UGA," Ainsworth's voice echoed as if it came from across the room as Dominic laughed hysterically. He could see the dumbfounded looks they were giving him, but he didn't care. Clementine was alive, and that was the only thing that mattered.


	24. Camp Shithole

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 2: No Safe Haven**

 **Chapter 24: Camp Shithole**

* * *

Feral. That's what Dominic had become. His eyes were bloodshot, his beard sprouting from his chin at odd angles, only adding to the unkempt theme. His hair was well past his neck line, the ends split from the months of intense heat not too long ago. He had become a wild animal, poised to kill anything that got in its path. The frizzled strands of hair were quickly flattened by the stream of hot water pouring down on him. It had been so long since he last had a shower, he almost forgot what it felt like. It was a feeling of pure bliss, as if the fucked up world around him melted away, disappearing deep into his subconscious. He felt almost normal again, that part of him that kept him sane, that humanity, rekindling in the water. But there he was in the mirror, literally a mirror image of his former self. He took in every detail he could make out through the foggy glass, his blue eyes trailing over the healing wound on his shoulder, a crimson scar of a time that felt so long ago. His body had changed so much since the beginning, his once enlarged belly gone, now flattened out and slightly toned from the constant exercise this world forced upon you. His beard was stained red with dried blood, as if he had taken a bite out of someone. To Dominic, it felt like he did, his entire body shook as he tried to calm his nerves from the rage that consumed him not too long ago, his body aching from the exertion and the horrors he inflicted upon that bandit. His eyes closed shut as his mind began to race, harsh memories haunting him as they played in his mind, as vivid as the day they happened.

" _ **YOU SICK FUCKING BASTARD!**_ _" The body of Andy St. John remained still beneath him, his eyes open wide with shock and horror as Dominic thrusted his knife into the man's heart._

Dominic's body tensed as the memories played, his heartbeat pulsing in his ears like a jet engine. He opened his eyes, and grabbed the razor sitting on the stark white shelf next to him. The water blinding his vision momentarily as the the memories kept coming. He brushed the razor against his beard in swift strokes, the individual strands floating to the floor before being washed down the drain.

" _Of all the people I thought would try to save a girl's life…" Lee's eyes shone with disappointment as Dominic shrugged at his words, looking back over the truck to watch the young woman being devoured down the road._

" _Some people can't be saved."_

He could almost recognize his facial features now, every stroke of the blade shaving years off of his appearance. With another stroke, he nicked his skin, blood trickling down his chin as he cursed.

" _ **I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!**_ _"_

No, that wasn't him. That _couldn't_ be him, but it was. He had become a killer, no matter how hard he wanted to deny it. That was his purpose now; in order to protect the ones he cares about, he had to kill. He could justify the brutality of his actions if he wanted to, but that wouldn't change who he was. He was the deranged boy with no remorse, no mercy, and if he didn't make a change, that was all he would be.

" _Is that the image you wanted to imprint on Clementine's mind? Is that what you wanted her to become?"_ The Stranger's voice echoed in his mind, toying with him even after death. _"You turned her into a killer."_

He gazed into the mirror again, only stubble left behind on his face. He let out a deep sigh as he tried to shake the memories away, turning off the water before pulling the curtain back and stepping out into the rest of the bathroom. The walls of the tiny space seemed to be moving in around him, his breathing becoming shallower with each second. Taking a moment to dry himself off, he stepped toward the neat pile of clothes laid out on the toilet seat, picking them up in his hands as another, more recent memory surfaced.

" _It's gonna be a bitch to get the blood out of those clothes,"_ _Tobias muttered as they strolled into another room. Clothes were stacked into neat piles on shelves; several washing machines and dryers were lined up along the far wall, only a few in use at that moment. On one side of the room were a bunch of uniforms, each laid out for their rightful owners to pick up before their shift. The other side was filled with a variety of shirts, pants, and shoes. Tobias rummaged through the clothes until he picked out a grey plaid flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. "These should fit nicely. If you need a change of underwear or socks, they're in that pile over there. Don't expect them to be unused though."_

" _Thanks."_

Dominic slipped on the garments one by one, leaving the shirt behind as he stared into the mirror above the sink, the condensation slowly fading away. Water still dripped from his long hair, leaving tiny droplets on the tiled floor as Dominic bent down to rummage through the drawers beneath the sink, finding an electric hair clipper stuffed into one of them. The beard, the hair, it all had to go. He plugged in the clipper before returning to the mirror, flipping the switch. The buzz hummed in his ears as he stared at his hair one last time. It was always a bittersweet goodbye. With one final breath, he went to work.

When he was done, all that was left was tiny blips of brown hair on his head. He rubbed his hand over them, the tiny hairs scratching at his skin. Perhaps now, he could begin anew. This community, it could be a beacon of hope in the sea of shit he found himself in. He couldn't see that before, through the blood-red rage, but now he knew that maybe they had found a safe place to _live_. All he had to do was make a change, to bring himself back from the brink of darkness.

He turned off the clipper, storing it back in its place just as someone knocked on the bathroom door behind him. He stiffened for a fraction of a second before taking a deep breath and pulling the door open, revealing a stern looking Molly on the other side. She looked up at his head in surprise before she shifted her arms against her chest and stepped into the bathroom.

"We need to talk."

"Who's with Clem?" Dominic instantly asked, his voice hoarse, as if speaking had become a chore. She leaned against the sink, her eyes falling to the loose strands of hair covering the floor beneath her.

"Ainsworth's watching her," she replied, returning her gaze to the man as he visibly relaxed. "But that isn't what I wanted to talk about."

"What is it then?" He sighed, half knowing the answer. He could see it in her eyes, that look of both fear and disappointment.

"I… don't think you should be leader anymore," she declared, her expression turning serious as she spoke. "What you did to that bandit, and what you said to me... that- that can't happen again."

"So… what? You think that makes me not fit to be a leader?" Dominic scoffed as he held his hand against his chest, acting as if he was offended. "I kept you two alive this **entire** time," Dominic growled, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. He was the one with the foreknowledge (even though recently they haven't been of much help); he was the one that has been pushing them to a safer place up north. Why couldn't she see that?

"No, _I_ kept _**you**_ alive," she snapped, pointing her finger at him as her eyes narrowed. "I kept you from doing stupid shit and getting yourself killed," she sighed as she pinched her nose, trying to get her thoughts in order before finally returning his gaze. "Look, the guy needed to die, I get that. He shot Clem. But he was already dead! All you had to do was _shoot_ him and it would be over!" She paused for a second as he watched her in silence, a look of both guilt and denial vying for control over his face. "So, yes. I think you just need a fucking break."

His gaze fell to the ground as she finished. It hurt him to think it, but she was right. He lost control after Clem. He needed to sit back for a little bit, clear his head, and then he would be ready to lead once again. Or maybe he shouldn't be leader at all, but he wasn't ready to admit that yet. He turned back to the mirror, looking in his eyes as if expecting to see a monster dwelling within them, fighting to control his brain and his actions. "Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right," she quipped, taking a step toward him as he turned back to look at her, his eyes glassy as he thought it all through. She let out a deep breath before turning towards the exit. "Well, I'm gonna go back and check on Clem. Stop by when you're done here?"

"Okay."

Her eyes went back to his shaved head. It didn't look too bad, well, it looked better than it did. "Nice buzzcut by the way. Hardly recognized you without the psycho beard and the long, flowing locks. It suits you." She turned back towards the door without another word.

As she stepped into the hallway, Dominic called out for her. "Hey!" She stopped in place, not even turning around as she waiting for what he had to say. "I'm sorry… about everything." He finished in a whisper.

"Prove it then," she whispered back, continuing her march down the tunnel. As she disappeared from view, Dominic could hear her yell out "and for fuck sake, put on a shirt!"

* * *

Molly found herself sitting in the chair once more, her eyes trailing over Clementine's unconscious form as she massaged her forehead. The little girl hadn't moved since the operation, and that was starting to worry her. Her stomach rose and fell with every breath, but she was no closer to waking up. Molly leaned forward and raised Clementine's shirt to check on the wound. The blood was starting to dry, which meant that the bleeding had stopped, hopefully. She dropped the shirt before laying her hands in her palms. It was like she was seeing Hilda on that bed, that gunshot being the one that took her away. She couldn't let that happen to Clementine, even if that meant getting them out of here if these people turned out to be not as nice as they seem. She didn't exactly have a choice when she was bleeding out.

"Hey, you're Molly right?" The feminine voice made Molly jolt in her seat before swiveling her head toward the woman. She wore a floral dress, her blonde hair reaching well past her shoulders, with a few gray strands intertwined between the others. Her eyes seemed to smile at Molly as she stepped closer, holding a neat pile of clothes in her hands. "My name's Barbara. I- I thought you could use some fresh clothes for your little girl." She smiled wider as she spoke. "My daughter was about her age before she was… well…" The smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, the woman's green eyes darting from Molly to the floor and back to the Molly again.

Molly's eyes softened as she returned her gaze to Clementine's form. "Walkers get her?"

"Yeah, they did." Barbara murmured before the smile returned to her face, reaching the pile of clothes out to Molly as the younger woman turned to face her again. "Anyway, I hope they fit well, she seems a bit thin so they may be a little big."

"Thanks," Molly replied simply before watching the woman leave. She laid out the clothes on the bed: Two shirts were on the top of the pile, one was a pink t-shirt, the other was long-sleeved with purple stripes. A pair of black jeans laid underneath them. Molly smiled as she grabbed the little girl's cap from the bedside table and laid it on top of the pile, placing it at the foot of the bed for the girl to wear later. The smile faded as she heard more footsteps approaching her. She looked up to see Dominic with his hands in his pockets, his plaid flannel shirt tucked into his black jeans.

"How's she doing?" He asked as he gazed over Clementine's sleeping form, sadness and hopefulness mixing together on his face in a weird combination.

"Better. I think." She sighed, pushing herself out of the chair and closing the curtain set up at the foot of the bed for privacy. "This shouldn't of even happened. She's ten years old. She didn't deserve this."

He crossed his arms as he leaned against the bookcase behind him. "That's why I killed him." He stated. She gave him a glare before she plopped back into the seat.

"You can justify it all you want, Dominic, it doesn't change the fact what you did was wrong." Her eyes locked on the sleeping girl in front of her, the image of Clementine's limp form laying on the street as hundreds of walkers stumbled towards her surfacing in her mind. "You could've killed her just as easily as he could've." Her fingers tightened around the armrests of the chair as she looked back at him. "By doing what you did, you could've killed her."

The conversation halted just as quickly as it had begun. Dominic sighed as he pushed away from the bookcase, a single thought burning in his brain as he peeked out the curtain to make sure no one was around, facing Molly once the coast was clear. "What do you think about this place?"

"I don't know yet," she replied instantly, her demeanor shifting to something more serious, brushing her longer hair behind her shoulders. "They seem like nice people, but even Crawford was nice at first. I don't want to fuck this up for us, but we need to keep a lookout for anything suspicious." She stretched her arms and legs before continuing. "Did you see that graffiti on the wall?"

"Yeah. 'The Monsters won't go away.' Not sure if that's about the walkers, or the military, or something else entirely. It's driving me crazy." He paused for a second as footsteps echoed on the other side of the room, a few hushed whispers reaching their ears before he returned his gaze to Molly. "Won't even let us have weapons. That's some Terminus shit right there."

"Terminus?" She looked at him for an explanation, but only receiving a shrug in response.

"It's a long story. I'm sure they just want to make sure that _we_ don't attack _them_." He tapped his head against the bookcase, mentally trying to make sense of it all. "Hell, I'd probably do the same thing."

She sighed as she took in what he said. Maybe he was right, but with Clementine recovering, she needed to make sure that they were going to be safe here. She ran her fingers through her hair, Dominic watching her in silence, before standing up. "Well, I'm gonna take that shower now, since you took your sweet ass time in there. I'm in desperate need for a haircut as well." She smirked as she pulled open the curtain, then turned back toward him. "Watch her for me?"

"Okay."

She took one last glance in Clementine's direction before strolling away. Dominic watched her go, his hands burying themselves deeper into his jean pockets before he sat down in the chair. He watched as Clementine's chest rose and fell at a slow pace, her breathing somewhat calmer than they were the last time he was with her.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled under his breath as he laid his head against the wall, his eyes shut as he tried to form the words in his mind. "She's right. _I_ put us in this mess. I shouldn't of snapped at you." He let out a dry laugh before continuing. "Hell, I shouldn't of done a lot of things, but I can't take them back. I did what I did." He opened his eyes, not daring to look up at her. "I don't know if I can forgive myself for it, and I don't think you'll forgive me either. But I just want you to know that I'm sorry. From this point on, I'll make it right, with you and Molly. And with Molly in charge now…" His breath filled the room as he sighed. "I feel like… maybe a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. She's always been good at surviving, you know? So maybe it won't be that bad. It's the right choice either way. You both deserve better."

The little girl twitched slightly before rolling over onto her uninjured side, her eyes still firmly shut. Dominic smiled, reaching out and taking her limp hand in his. "Thanks Clem. I knew you'd forgive me."

* * *

"What do you think of them?" Wolffe asked of his lieutenant as they stared up at the map of Athens tacked to the wall in front of them. Several points of interest were marked on the map with red ink. The UGA Camp, Zone 1 and 2, the No Man's Land. Most of it was just scribbles, marking places that may have loot for later scavenging. The classroom behind them bustled as his soldiers moved supplies in and out of the room, some heading for the armory on the opposite side of the camp, while the others were food brought back on Tobias' last run.

"I don't know about Dominic," Tobias replied as he scratched his head, his blue eyes scanning the map in front of them. "He seems a bit unhinged. But I don't blame him; being out there for that long, taking care of a little girl and a woman… that could make any man crazy."

"It seems like this 'Molly' takes care of him more than he takes care of her." Wolffe mused, adjusting his glasses before gesturing for Tobias to follow him out of the room.

"Yeah, she's a strong one. I like her, she seems to be pretty reasonable. Keeps the boy on a leash. It's no surprise they've made it this far on their own." The door closed behind them, revealing a tiny nameplate on the wall with the name "Lee Everett" stenciled on it. They strolled down the brightly lit hallway before peering out a window to the world below. Wolffe's eyes locked onto a particular woman and child building a snowman in the center of the plaza. He couldn't let these strangers hurt these people, especially not his wife and son.

"Keep an eye on them," Wolffe stated, turning back to the taller man standing next to him. "If the boy starts causing trouble, I want to know about it. Hopefully she can keep him from being a problem. With the Hunters out there, the last thing we need is chaos within the walls." He sighed, a look of concern etched across his face. "The people out there aren't like the people we have in here. They're violent, obsessed with making sure they survive at any cost."

"We don't know if these people are like that or not," Tobias pointed out.

"You tell me, with absolute certainty, that these people will not harm anyone in these walls," He locked his gaze with Tobias, his tone serious. "That Madi and Jacob, my _family_ , shouldn't keep one eye open in the night just in case these people decide they don't like us."

Tobias stared back, his tone just as serious. "They won't."

With the promise given, Wolffe returned his gaze to his family below. He still didn't like it, but maybe these newcomers can prove useful additions to the community. After all, they needed all the help they could get. He turned back to Tobias as the younger man examined the white world in the distance.

"You still going out on that run today?" He asked in a casual tone.

"Yeah," Tobias breathed slowly. "We didn't get to finish our sweep."

"Take the boy with you," he ordered, crossing his arms against his chest. "If he proves useful, then they can stay."

Tobias grunted his understanding before marching away. "Copy that."

* * *

The world around Clementine was a blur as she opened her eyes. Her stomach felt like it was on fire, the pain flowing through her body in waves. Once her vision cleared enough, she looked around her, large bookcases stood on either side of the bed she was on. She could see an egg white curtain hung over a rod at the end of the bed, sealing her into this encapsulated room she found herself in.

Groaning from the pain, she called out the first name that came to her mind. "Lee?"

" _Holy shit…_ " A familiar feminine voice whispered from next to her, someone grabbing a hold of her hand as she swiveled towards the voice. Molly sat in a chair next to the bed, a look of relief etched across her face. Next to her, a man stood with his arms crossed, smiling down at her just as wide as Molly was. She almost didn't recognize who it was, the shaved head and the lack of a beard almost foreign to her, but the large nose and blue eyes gave it away. It was definitely Dominic.

"Wh- where are we?" Clementine raspy voice echoed in the room, her eyes continuing to search the tiny space for the answer.

"We're in a camp," Molly answered, squeezing Clementine's hand, as if making sure the little girl was really alive. "You were shot, and their doctor pulled the bullet out of you and patched you up."

Clementine reached out with her free hand and touched the bandage, grimacing as she stated. "It hurts."

"It shouldn't of even happened," Dominic stated in a flat tone, his eyes falling to the floor. "Had I checked to make sure they were all dead…"

"That's not your fault, Dominic," Molly interrupted him, sending him a stern look.

"Everything's my fault," He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he tapped the bookcase behind him with his foot. "You said it yourself."

His eyes grew glassy as he stared off into space. Clementine frowned as she watched him, the once confident man now questioning himself with every second passed. She saw what he did to that man before she passed out, which still scared her even now, but she could tell that he was starting to regret it. Molly didn't even look at him, rather she just kept peering down at Clementine's hand in hers. Clementine struggled to shift into a more comfortable position before breaking the silence.

"Are we safe here?"

"For now," Dominic added.

"Don't worry about it, Clem," Molly stated, shooting Dominic a look before turning back to the little girl. "We're safe here. Just… relax for a while, okay?" She squeezed Clementine's hand again before continuing. "Your body's going to be tired."

Clementine nodded slowly before laying her head back down on the pillow, closing her eyes as she tried to get comfortable. Molly's voice forced them back open as she felt the woman's hand leave hers. "Dom and I got some things to discuss real quick, okay? We'll be right back."

"Okay," she whispered in acknowledgement, closing her eyes again before rolling onto her side, slowly letting herself drift off to sleep as the two adults slipped out of the room. A few eyes fell on them as they passed by the other occupied beds, each pair suspicious of the newcomers.

Molly sighed, banging her head softly against the wall once they were out in the hallway. "What are we gonna do?"

"I don't know. I thought you were leader now," Dominic deadpanned.

"Seriously, not the time for that. We're in the middle of a camp of strangers, with a hurt little girl, no weapons, and little trust on either side." She peered at the tiled floor beneath her before looking up at Dominic. "If they don't trust us, how can we trust them?"

"They haven't given us a reason to trust them yet. All they've done is pull out a bullet. It's gonna take time, but I think everything's gonna work out."

"That's awfully optimistic of you," she deadpanned.

"I'm not always a pessimist."

"You have been since I met you."

"You had a pickaxe to my face when we met."

"And you could've been from Crawford," she huffed. "What did you expect?"

"A little bit of civility?"

"I guess we're both lacking on that front."

They laughed at that, the conversation turning into something more cheerful as Dominic leaned against the wall. "Who knows. Maybe everything will be alright and this place ends up being somewhere we can call home. Not like there's many safe places left in this world anyway."

"What about Wellington?" She asked. She still didn't like the idea of being somewhere where the temperature dropped below freezing for most of the winter, but staying in the middle of a city wasn't exactly what she had in mind either.

"It's still in the cards if this place doesn't work out," Dominic replied as he closed his eyes. "Gotta take things one thing at a-"

"You're the new guys right?" Another voice penetrated the air, ending their conversation abruptly as they turned to see the woman, Chloe if Dominic remembered correctly, walking towards them. She held an untidy pile of clothes in her hands, struggling to balance the tall stack.

"Yeah, that's us," Dominic muttered as he crossed his arms.

"The name's Chloe," she greeted casually, her blue eyes shining in the dim light as she laughed. "We didn't get a chance to really talk when you waltzed into the camp looking like Jack from the Shining. Welcome to Camp Shithole."

Dominic let out a bemused grunt, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. "If it's such a shithole, why do you stay?"

She shrugged. "It's better than being out there." She slipped past them before continuing down the hallway, disappearing into the laundry room.

Once the door closed behind her, Molly pushed herself off the wall, turning back to Dominic, a look of confusion on her face. "She's a bit weird."

"Yeah. That pretty much sums up everyone in this place."

* * *

The snow was starting to turn to mush as Dominic trudged alongside Tobias. The air was getting a little warmer now, which made him feel better since his jacket was covered in blood, and all they had to give him was a thin green hoodie. The plaza bustled with life behind them, every person going about their daily lives despite the strange appearance of Dominic's group merely a few hours earlier. It probably helped that Dominic wasn't covered in blood anymore; definitely not the first impression he would've wanted. He found himself admiring the fence as they strolled further into the back of the camp, barbed wire spiralling the top to prevent them being climbed. The walls of the university blocked out most of the sunlight peeking through the clouds above, creating long shadows that casted the world below in shadow.

"I know I came off as a bit of a prick this morning." Dominic finally broke the silence, turning to look at the soldier beside him. "I'm just not used to being around people anymore. And when you're out there, you have do just unspeakable shit." He let out a heavy sigh, the air still cold enough that a puff of smoke blew out of his mouth "Perhaps… perhaps I was out there too long."

"You were just trying to protect your family, I get that." Tobias stated as he rubbed his shoe through the snow, revealing wet grass underneath. "You had no reason to trust us. Hell, after what the government did back when all this shit started, I don't blame you." They continued their stroll, the faint growl of walkers reaching their ears from beyond the fence as they moved towards a guard post, the soldier standing atop it scanning the horizon for any threats.

"Hundreds of cities just… torched… just to try to control this thing." He turned back to Dominic, a look of disdain on his face. "It's clear to me now that it just made matters worse."

"But here you are, living safe and sound in a city, instead of bombing it. Who made that call?" Dominic asked as he stuffed his hands into his hoodie pockets, leaning against the brick wall.

"Wolffe did. We had orders to, you know? But this was his home- is his home. So we said 'to hell' with the orders. We wanted to save people, not kill them."

"That's pretty rare nowadays." Dominic commented.

"Which is a damn shame to see." He muttered, shaking his head as they marched onwards. "Humanity needs to just come together, not grow further apart. We all need to help to build a better future for the next generation, because surely this shit can't go on forever."

"It's the survivalist mentality." Dominic added as they rounded the corner of the building, more tents encircling a tree coming into view. "People want to hoard everything for themselves and protect what's theirs, rather than risk it all for someone who may end up betraying them. It's what the world is now, and we have no choice but to get used to it."

"The moment people stop caring about each other, that's the moment civilization ends." He sighed as he looked back at the younger man following him. "What is there to look forward to after that?"

"I don't know. Finding some secluded spot somewhere, growing old, and dying with your family surrounding you? That's how I'd want to go. Not like I have a real family anymore. All I've got left is Molly and Clementine."

"Do you know what happened to your parents?" Tobias asked with curiosity. The boy's eyes flickered with a sense of sadness before finally settling on indifference.

"No." Dominic hesitated as he spoke, not sure if it would be a good idea to mention that his parents may not even exist in this universe. It would've been a little bit too much for the man to believe. "And, I suppose, that the phrase 'ignorance is bliss' perfectly sums up how I feel about that."

"I know what you mean. I never got to look for my family after everything went to shit." They were coming back towards the plaza again. The sense of liveliness amongst the inhabitants almost a polar opposite to how the two men were feeling. "My parents were living in Charlotte, up in North Carolina, with my little brothers. Maybe they're still out there, somewhere."

"Hold onto that hope. That's how you keep living, day by day."

Tobias laughed as he picked up a rock off the ground, tossing it over the fence before turning back to Dominic. "You know, you're not as crazy as I thought you were when we first ran into you."

Dominic smiled back. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

They continued onwards, following the perimeter of the camp in silence before Tobias opened his mouth to speak again. "You thinking about staying at the camp?"

"I don't know…" Dominic replied honestly. "We were heading further north. There's a community up there called Wellington. Big walls, cold, so the walkers can't move as much. That's the end-goal. But here's not so bad. You people seem nice. That fence isn't exactly the safest though. A herd of walkers could plough right through that if they wanted to."

Tobias shrugged, looking up at the fence with scrutiny. "It's a work-in-progress."

"Just keep your eyes peeled." Dominic suggested. "We saw a fuckload of walkers coming into the city when we arrived. It's only a matter of time before they sniff you out."

"I've been trying to convince Wolffe to evacuate to a safer place outside the city," Tobias stated as he touched the cold metal of the fence, turning to Dominic. "Maybe you can persuade him."

Dominic huffed. "Like he'll listen to a complete stranger."

"You've been out there; you know what you're talking about." The man replied, turning back towards Dominic. "With a little bit of convincing, he'll listen to you."

"For their sake, I hope you're right." Dominic sighed, his eyes glancing towards the inhabitants of the camp, each one more innocent than the last.

"So, what happened to the girl?" Tobias asked suddenly, forcing Dominic's gaze back toward him. "Who shot her?"

"I don't know. They seemed pretty organized. Clementine was trapped in a bathroom with two of them before Molly found her. Then a few more showed up and started shooting at us."

"Ah, so that was the gunfire we heard." He shrugged before letting out a short laugh. "Figured some poor bastard was putting up a fight against the dead before you two came along with the girl."

"Do you have any idea who they could be?" Dominic hoped that he did. A part of him wanted to believe that he killed all of them, but when there's a few, there's got to be a bigger group somewhere else. "Any other groups living in the city?"

"Well, there's this one group that's been giving us trouble for the past month or so," Tobias answered as they walked back towards the library on the opposite end of the plaza. "They call themselves the Hunters. Still haven't figured out why. We've been trying to avoid them the best we can."

As they strolled through the plaza, Dominic's mind began to wander, the vision he had endured so many months again replaying in his head.

" _You and I, we're not that different. We both steal, we both kill. We do everything we can for our groups. Thing is, you killed mine, so now it's time to get even."_

"So listen, I'm gonna be heading out on a run in an hour," Tobias sighed as he looked up at the windows of the college, forcing Dominic to push the memories away. Tobias half-expected to see Wolffe in the window looking back at him. "You should come with me, get to know the city a bit," he continued. "Think of it as an initiation."

Dominic hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure if he was ready to go back out there yet, not with him so close to the brink as it was. He sighed as he thought it through, finally making his decision. "Yeah, okay. Got nothing better to do."

* * *

"I- I saw Lee…" Clementine mumbled as she slipped on the clothes Molly had given to her. "After I was shot."

"It was just a dream, Clem."

"But it felt so real, like he was there with me." She slumped back onto the bed. "Maybe that means he's out there looking for us."

 _Or he's reaching out to you from the grave._ Molly thought as she frowned, grabbing Clementine's hand in hers. "I'm sorry, but I think the chance that he's still alive out there's pretty slim. Even if he _was_ alive, he could be anywhere."

"That's what Dominic said, but I don't believe it. We got out of Savannah safely, why can't Lee?"

Molly sighed as her mind returned to those dreadful days: the boat she stole from the group, the screams from the waterfront they heard on their way to get Clementine. There's no way they're still alive. Molly wasn't even sure whether or not she wanted them to be. Everything that happened in Savannah felt like a plague in her heart, eating away at her until she finally left the group behind.

"It's complicated Clem," Molly finally answered as she looked back up at the little girl, who nibbled on a sandwich given to her by one of the medical aides. "They didn't know about the gut method, so they would've been stuck in the city with nowhere to go."

"What's up?" Dominic voice cut the conversation short as he pulled the curtain and slipped into the room. Molly let out a heavy sigh before sitting back in her chair.

"Just… talking," Molly smiled as genuinely as she could. She knew Dominic would be on her side, but after what happened that morning, she didn't want to cause another argument between the little girl and her protector. "What about you? Learn anything about the camp from that Tobias guy?"

"A little, the place seems pretty secure from bandits. It's just the walkers I'm worried about. That fence is sturdy, but this is a _city_ , not some out-of-the-way camp out in the middle of nowhere. It won't hold against a herd," he sighed as he sat on the end of the bed, stretching his legs as he spoke. "Who knows, maybe I can convince this Wolffe guy to evacuate to somewhere more secure. Hell, even a prison would be a better place than this."

"These people wouldn't like being inside a prison. They seem a little bit too _normal_ for that." Molly deadpanned.

"...or they could try their hand for Wellington. They've got trucks, lots of them, with enough seats to move these people if they wanted to. It'd be their best bet."

"I doubt it, but if shit goes south here, they wouldn't have many other places to go," Molly stated.

Dominic nodded in agreement before looking at Clementine, who gazed back at him with a mixture of indifference and fear. She still hated him for what he said, he could see that in her eyes. But maybe he could win her back, somehow. She returned to eating her sandwich as Dominic watched her, laughing as a thought popped into his head. "What about you, Clem?"

"What?" She mumbled between chews, her innocent eyes darting from her sandwich to Dominic.

"What do you think about this place? The people?"

"Dr. Ainsworth is really nice. He gave me a lollipop earlier, said that it would make me feel better."

"Did it?" He asked.

"A little."

"But seriously, do you think we should stay? They patched you up, gave us a place to sleep. I mean, they seem alright," Dominic smiled as she looked up at him. "We do what _you_ say." She was taken aback by this, her eyes searching the room as if the answer would appear in front of her. "I trust your judgment, Clem," Dominic finished.

She hesitated for a moment as she tried to think it all through. She didn't know much about these people beyond the confines of the library, but they seemed like good people. She was tired of running, well, they were all tired of running, so the idea of settling down for a while really seemed like a good idea. But if Lee was out there still, she had to find him. Maybe being in one place could make that easier? She just didn't know.

"We…" she started, her eyes bouncing between Dominic's, who peered back at her with hopeful eyes, and Molly's, who seemed rather bemused by the entire situation. "We should stay. At least for a little while."

"Then we stay," Dominic declared, looking in Molly's direction, already knowing what was going through her mind.

Molly sighed, clearly the art of democracy already being established into her new leadership of the group. "Okay, we stay."

"Alright Clem, you just finish up that sandwich okay? You're gonna be hungry if you don't," Dominic pulled himself off the bed before turning towards Molly. "Mind if we talk outside real quick?"

Molly's eyebrow shot up before standing. "Yeah, sure. I'll be right back Clem."

Dominic smiled in Clementine's direction before pulling the curtain back and stepping out into the library. His eyes scanned the room as he waited for Molly, who scratched at the back of her neck as she followed him out into the hallway, which seemed to be quickly becoming their meeting spot. He took in a deep breath, his mind struggling to figure out the best way to say his next few words.

"I'm, uh, goin' out on a run with Tobias," Dominic started as he turned back toward her, rubbing the back of neck with his hand as he spoke.

"You're kidding, right?" Molly spoke after a few seconds of silence. "We only _just_ got here. Clem was shot, you were going all psycho on everyone... how could you possibly think that is a good idea?"

"I'm not stupid, okay?" Dominic shot back in a casual tone. "They're trying to test me, see if I can play well with others. I don't think I've got much choice in the matter, if I don't they might just throw us out, thinking we're gonna just kill them in their sleep or something."

"What if something happens out there and you go all psycho again? What will they do then?!" She was losing her patience now. Why couldn't he just stay here and let her take care of things? Hell, why wasn't _she_ the one going out on the run? "It'll be the same _exact_ thing."

"I won't," Dominic mumbled, his tone somber as he continued. "But it's not just about them testing us, it's also about me testing them. If I see anything I don't like out there, we're hitting the road as soon as I get back."

She let out a huff as she crossed her arms, leaning against the wall next to him. He wasn't going to let her win this one. "I still think it's a bad idea."

"I'll be back before you know it, okay?" He stared down at her as her face fell to the floor. Things had spiralled out of control from the moment they entered Athens, and now Dominic wanted go out there again, and risk his life just to prove himself, whether it was to Tobias and the camp or her, she really couldn't tell. But that need for forgiveness was driving him to do something stupid, and she didn't want to be responsible for that.

"You better come back," she muttered in a hushed whisper, turning back towards him, staring into his eyes for any sign of him changing his mind. "'cause I'm not taking care of Clementine alone."

He let out a short chuckle before a smile plastered across his face, whispering back to her just as quietly. "I always come back." He pushed off the wall, leaning in towards her before planting a kiss on her cheek. Her eyes widened to almost inhuman proportion as she was taken aback. Before she could even react, he pulled away from her, heading for the exit at the end of the dark hallway.

He laughed nervously as his heart seemed to beat faster in his chest, a tiny voice inside his head screaming a single phrase at him.

 _What the hell did you just do?_


	25. Routine Sweep

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 2: No Safe Haven**

 **Chapter 25: Routine Sweep**

* * *

The second floor of the university stood in stark contrast to the ground floor. The hallways below were clean, where civilians often wander to retrieve clean clothes, or read a book, or receive medical care, but the second floor was crowded, with stacks of boxes filled with various different things plopped at irregular intervals throughout the already claustrophobic hallways. To make matters worse, the nearly empty thoroughfares often bustled with soldiers, each one tending to their duties no matter how insignificant, often bumping into Dominic as he strolled past them. He was on his way to meet with Tobias and Wolffe, who he has yet to meet in person, in their command center, Room 148. Often he would find himself lost in the cavernous catacombs that were the hallways, the room labeling system just as confusing as he remembered from his years in High School. Eventually, he figured it out, and found the room towards the corner of the south-side of the floor. A few more uniformed men moved in and out of the room, carrying boxes to various parts of the complex. As he approached, he peered at the room number, his heart stopping for a second as he recognized the name on the tag. This was Lee's school. This was where he taught history. How did Dominic miss that? It seemed so blaringly obvious in hindsight.

He fought to control his breathing again as his heart skipped several beats, as it had been for the past five minutes since he took that crazy step with Molly. He mentally slapped himself for being so forward. It felt like it just sort of… happened, as if he had no real control over what he was doing. A part of him wanted to stay and apologize, because that's not who he was. Romance never really was his thing; hell, the last time he let a girl get close, she ripped his heart out, and the wound never healed. Now things were different; death had always been a possibility: a car wreck, illness, murder… but now death happened much more often. Life had become running from one bad situation to the next, never ceasing to stop until the day you died. Could he handle the heartbreak if he lost someone else he loved? Could he handle watching them die right in front of him? He just didn't know. He definitely didn't want to know. He let himself get swept away in the moment, and now he was left to wonder if it will bite him in the ass. He didn't even let himself stay to see how she would react, instead he just left, without a word. The not knowing was going to be a constant heartache.

But for now, he had to concentrate on the task at hand, and that meant walking through that door with Lee's name on it, and figuring out what to do from there. As he pushed open the door, he could hear Tobias talking with another man, whose brown eyes were locked on the blackboard in front of them. The man had short-cropped hair just like the rest of the soldiers, however he wore a thick pair of glasses, and his face was obscured by a five o'clock shadow. His uniform was loose-fitting, folds and creases lining the fabric as if the clothes hadn't been cleaned for several days.

"I know how dangerous it is to go into No Man's Land, sir, but we don't really got a choice here." Tobias thrusted his hand towards the board, Dominic only now seeing the map attached to it with magnets. "Everywhere else has been cleaned out."

"Well, if you won't reconsider, you're not going in alone," the man replied, who Dominic presumed to be Wolffe. "Take a squad with you."

"I already-" Tobias stopped mid-sentence as Dominic approached them, his footsteps muffled by the sound of boxes scraping against the floor and the echoing chorus of footsteps throughout the room. "Good, you're here. Hope you're ready for a crazy day."

"Always ready," Dominic mused as he crossed his arms and turned toward the map, taking in all the details. He could see UGA marked a few miles south of downtown Athens, which Dominic noted had the title "No Man's Land" scribbled just below it. Another zone marked "Zone 1" was scribbled in just a few blocks north of that, on the opposite side of downtown, while another marked "Zone 2" was circled two miles to the west, around a High School. _Were these the safe-zones Tobias mentioned?_ Dominic mused to himself as he tried his best to memorize the layout in his mind. Several red lines were drawn across streets leading toward the UGA Camp, presumably the barricades Dominic had seen on his way in a few hours ago. He turned back to Tobias, already better prepared for the run than he had been a few seconds ago. "So what's the plan then?"

"It's a rather routine sweep to start," Tobias stated as he gestured towards the red lines. "First thing's first, we check the barricades stationed across these intersections. They're pretty much the only things keeping this place from being swarmed with roamers. We clear off the spikes, pile the bodies for later disposal, and move on to the next. Team two will do the same thing but on the southern side of the camp." He took in a deep breath before grabbing a marker from the blackboard and tracing out a route on the laminated paper, heading west then heading north towards No Man's Land. "Once the barricades are cleared, you and I are going to push further into the city, to this pharmacy here." He circled a building near the center of downtown in green. "The owners boarded up the place early on, kept the rioters at bay until shit hit the fan. That part of town was swarming with roamers for months after that, so it should be untouched. "

"What do we do about the walkers then?" Dominic asked, his eyebrow raising as he pointed towards the pharmacy. "Surely they've still gotta be around."

"Good question," Tobias grabbed a yellow marker and drew another line, this one twisting around to the east side of downtown. "After team two has finished their sweep, they're going to skirt around to the other side of the zone, pop off a few bullets to get the roamers excited, then high-tailing it to the rendezvous point here," he flipped the line around, drawing it until it intersected the original line just south of No Man's Land. "If all goes well, they'll be drawn to the noise and walk off, and that's when we go in."

"Seems awfully risky," Wolffe interjected, adjusting his glasses as he turned toward his lieutenant. "What happens if team two's diversion point's already swarming with the dead?"

"Then we change the plan, find somewhere else along the outskirts that's empty," Tobias explained, turning back to Dominic. "Assuming that the dead fall for the trick, we bust in there and take whatever we can before they come back," he returned his gaze to Wolffe, whose frown made it very clear he wasn't convinced. "You said it yourself, sir. We're low on meds, bandages, everything. That place is gonna be a gold mine."

"It's as good of a plan as any," Dominic added, sending an approving nod in Tobias' direction. "I mean, there's a lot of variables, but I think we can pull it off."

Wolffe let out a deep sigh as he nodded his approval. "Awesome," Tobias smiled as he turned back to Dominic. "C'mon, let's go get you kitted out."

The two men disappeared out of the door as Wolffe stared at the map, his eyes narrowing with each second that passed by. "The fool's going to get himself killed," he muttered before taking the eraser and scrubbing away the ink.

* * *

"When am I gonna be able to leave?" Clementine's voice barely reached Molly's ears as her eyes focused on a speck of dust on the table in front of her. She toyed with a string from her jacket before yanking it out, her mind lost in the sea of thoughts that threatened to burst through the dam.

"Soon, little one," Dr. Ainsworth replied from some place across the room. "I want to make sure the wound won't cause you any more problems before I let you go."

"Ugh… okay," was all Clementine could say.

"Molly, could you hand me that roll of bandages please?"

Molly wasn't really listening, her mind kept replaying that moment over and over again, but she still couldn't understand it. How could she miss that? He never really showed any real interest in her at all since they met, but now, she almost felt stupid for not seeing it. But he threatened to kill her barely a few hours ago, and now he _likes_ her? That's definitely some mixed signals.

"Molly?" Ainsworth's voice finally cut through her rampant thoughts, her body jolting as she turned to look at the doctor standing next to Clementine's bed. She took a second to collect herself before finally stuttering out.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," She snatched the bandages from the end table next to her and handed it out to him. "Here."

"You okay?" He asked, his eyebrow raising as he examined her, as if she had suddenly contracted some sort of strange medical condition.

"I'm fine… just have a lot on my mind," she muttered, returning her eyes to the speck of dirt on the table.

"You don't have to be," Ainsworth stated in a calm tone. "I mean- what y'all have gone through… it's just traumatic. A lot of the people here can't even imagine situations like that."

Silence filled the room like a disease as Molly turned to face him, her mouth contorting into a frown. "You nearly lost your little girl," Ainsworth continued. "You had to survive out there in this… hellhole, for God knows how long now… with your boyfriend losing his mind."

She couldn't help but laugh at his choice of words. "He's not my boyfriend," she muttered, shifting in her chair as she tried to get comfortable. "He's just an asshole I survive with."

"To some people, that is the same thing as a boyfriend," Ainsworth finished, turning toward Clementine, who was sucking on a lollipop as she reclined on the bed. "Another couple hours and you'll get to finally see the camp," he smiled as he clasped his hands together. "There's a lot of people who want to meet you. The kids are ecstatic to have another kid their age around."

"There's other kids here?" Clementine asked, her voice muffled as she pulled out the lollipop.

"Tons!" Ainsworth announced with a bombastic flair. "I think you'll like it here, little one." He gave her one last smile before retreating out of the room, leaving Molly to her thoughts as Clementine watched her, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in the woman's mind. Perhaps that was for the best, since even she didn't know how she felt about them yet.

* * *

It turned out to be a short walk from the command center to the armory. It was set up in a biology classroom towards the main stairs, with another name stenciled onto the label: Barbara Washington. Underneath the name, the word "Armory" was scribbled in with a black marker. As they approached the door, Tobias turned back to Dominic, who nearly bumped into him as he examined the hallway.

"Alright, once we've got you equipped, we'll meet up with Sean's squad outside," Tobias slipped out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. "You've probably noticed that Wolffe doesn't trust you that much, and neither do most of the others. But once we get back with those supplies, you'll have earned their respect."

Dominic narrowed his eyes as he watched the older man push open the door, revealing a plethora of weapons laid out on solid black tables. As he followed Tobias in, Dominic asked, "Well, if they don't trust me, does that mean you don't either?"

"I wouldn't say that," Tobias instantly replied, strolling from one table to the next, picking up a revolver in his hands, which Dominic instantly recognized as his own. "You seem like a good man, Dominic. That's the only reason why you're still in this camp, and why I'm letting you go on this mission, especially armed. We don't typically let civvies do shit like this," He weighed the revolver in his hand, popping the cylinder open to see the chambers were empty. "But you've been out there surviving for God knows how long. You can handle yourself, and that makes you useful."

Dominic let out a soft "hmm" before leaning against the table behind him, trying his best to not knock one of the rifles laying on it onto the floor by accident. Tobias set down his revolver before turning back to the younger man.

"That Colt Python's a beauty, but it's loud, and doesn't hold much ammo," he turned around and picked up a glock off the table with a suppressor attached to the barrel. He turned back to Dominic. "Here take this, it holds more rounds, and the suppressor will muffle the shot a little." Dominic grabbed it and weighed it in his hands, the suppressor made it a little awkward to fit into his holster, but he managed to slip it through the hole at the bottom. "And no offense, but you're gonna need something that can dispatch roamers quickly if things go south," Tobias continued, strolling over to another table filled with several types of blades. "That knife you had can certainly scramble a brain or two, but nothing beats a machete," he picked out a large machete with a black handle, taking a moment to slice it through the air before handing it to Dominic, who weighed it in his hands as if it was a foreign object.

"It's a little heavier than I expected," Dominic deadpanned.

"You'll get used to it," Tobias laughed, tossing the boy a holster fitted specifically for the blade, with a leather strap creating a large loop. Dominic took a second to put it on, the holster nestled right against his back. As he slipped the machete into it, Tobias asked "Have you ever used a machete?"

"Well, I used to play with toy lightsabers when I was a kid. Other than that..."

"Same concept, I guess," Tobias's shrugged before continuing his lesson. "Just swing it at your target without killing yourself, that's pretty much it. Once you've got the hang of it, the dead are gonna be a piece of cake." The air stilled for a fraction of a second before Tobias exclaimed. "Oh! Nearly forgot," he grabbed the holster with Dominic's knife inside and gave it to the boy. "The machete can get you out of some tight spots, but it's always a good idea to have your knife. Seems like you're pretty attached to it anyway."

"We've been through a lot together," Dominic mumbled, his mind going back to all the people and things he's killed with that knife.

"You give it a name?" Tobias asked out of curiosity.

"No. Why would I give it a name?" Tobias laughed before picking out several weapons for himself: a sniper rifle, another suppressed glock, and an axe.

"All good weapons have names, like this rifle. We call her Jenny."

"That's just... weird."

"Hey, everyone's got their thing. If it ain't yours, don't knock it." Tobias smiled as he holstered the weapons and turned back to Dominic. "Alright, grab some of those bags over there and let's go. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

"Aye aye," Dominic deadpanned before strolling towards another table and grabbing two large traveling bags, then following the man out the door. He could tell already that it was going to be a long day.

* * *

The temperature began to drop at a rapid pace as the sun lowered towards the horizon. Molly's coat did little to protect her, her body shivering as she strolled through the courtyard. Around her, everyone was going about their day. Women were tending to their children, or laboring over their campfires as they prepared their evening meals. The men grouped together and talked about their day over a bottle of beer, their laughter echoing off the high walls of the university. Night was coming now, and with that, people began to wind down. A couple of children threw snowballs at each other as they raced through the courtyard, while a few were trying to build a snowman with what little snow was left on the ground. Through it all, the presence of armed soldiers was a constant reminder that this place wasn't like life before. It felt more like a concentration camp, but at the same time, felt very friendly and homey, with the residents already used to the sight. Towards the northern corner of the camp, she could see a relatively large greenhouse situated by two lookout posts, a few men and women tending to the crops before they turned in for the night.

Her attention returned to the girl walking alongside her as she interrupted the thoughts running through Molly's head. "It feels weird here."

Molly chuckled as she turned back to Clementine, "like it shouldn't exist, right?" The little girl nodded. "Yeah, I know the feeling. It's… nice, though. Feels like I can finally take a breath and get my shit together."

"You okay?" Clementine asked softly, looking up at her guardian as the woman's eyes averted from the little girl.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied simply. In reality, she really wasn't sure. She couldn't stop thinking about the whole affair with Dominic, including his defiance against her leadership. Now he was back out there, doing God knows what, and she couldn't help but worry about him doing something reckless. She wasn't worried about him dying, the bastard made a habit of getting out of ludicrous situations, but sooner or later he would do something that would get them kicked out of UGA permanently. Or perhaps she had too little faith in him… perhaps she overreacted to the entire thing. She was a hypocrite after all, after what happened in Crawford. "I'm just… worried about Dominic," she finished; at least it was a half-truth.

"Me too," Clementine mumbled, her eyes going to the ground as she shuffled through the snow. "I saw what he did after I was shot," she continued. Molly stopped and gazed at her, the girl's face remaining passive, and her golden eyes examining the camp around her before she returned her gaze to Molly. "It's just the way the world is now, right?" She asked of her guardian. "You do what you have to to protect the one's you care about?"

That took Molly by surprise, as her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Was Clementine numb to murder after everything they've been through? After they tried to shield her from it as much as possible? Her mind drifted back to that restroom where she watched Clementine shoot that bandit. Perhaps that was the reason why she didn't care about what Dominic did, because she had to do the same thing to save Molly.

"He put your life at risk to do it," Molly reminded her as they began to walk once again.

"He'd do the same for you, too," Clementine finished. Molly frowned as the thoughts resurfaced in her mind. _But not for the same reasons._

* * *

The city remained eerily quiet as Dominic trudged through the snow next to Tobias. The streets behind the barricades remained somewhat untouched by the apocalypse; the usual sight of the undead or abandoned cars long replaced by empty pavement and piles of trash. Dominic held the machete in his hand, weighing it as they approached the final barricade.

Each barricade was made out of thick sheets of metal, held in place by bars of wood that seemed to be rotting little by little with each storm; soon enough they'd break. The metal sheets stood easily over eight feet tall, keeping out any creature that crashed against it. They passed through an empty brick home on the left side of the street, and using the window in the living room to reach the other side of the wall. Dominic unsheathed his machete as they shut the window behind them and turned their attention to the barricade. It, like all the other barricades around the camp, was lined with spikes nailed to several planks of wood attached to the metal wall. At least five were attached to the long spikes, each turning their heads to look at the two men as they approached.

"They're certainly effective," Dominic mused as he grasped the machete in his hand, preparing himself for what came next. He could see a few more walkers stumbling through the snow further down the street, not yet aware of their presence.

"That's the idea," Tobias replied, shooting the boy an amused look before continuing. "Come on, whoever gets the most kills gets the other's rations tonight."

Dominic smiled. "You're on."

With that they sprinted towards the barricade, the growls of the undead hardly phasing Dominic at all as he swung the blade down as hard as he could onto the closest walker. Its head split in two as what remained of its brain leaked out of the gash, creating a repulsive mixture of blood, brain matter, and snow beneath Dominic's feet. He smiled as his eyes fell to the bloodied machete in his hands. _I could get used to this._

He continued down the line, his next strike was aimed at the walker's neck; he smiled as its head flew through the air and landed a few feet away from Tobias's feet, who merely laughed his approval before kicking the head across the street and returning his attention to the walker he was about to chop with his axe. In a matter of seconds, the rest were taken care of, just waiting to be pulled off the spikes and piled into the corner opposite the house they came from. Dominic watched as Tobias wrapped his arms around the first one and yanked it off, blood and intestines splattering all over the cement as the rest stuck to the wooden spike. More growls pierced the air from down the street, forcing Dominic to swerve around to see the five walkers he saw earlier stumbling towards them. Tobias hauled the cadaver to the pile as quickly as he could before joining Dominic for the second wave.

"Two to three," Tobias muttered as they swung their weapons in the air, each ready to finish the fight. "Not bad."

"Just you wait," Dominic smirked, kicking the first walker that approached in the leg. He watched with satisfaction as it fell to its knees, mindlessly trying to get back up in the snow. He swung the machete down on its head, the rotten beast's brain splitting nearly in two as he kicked it back, jerking the body free from his crimson blade. Another one came within inches of biting his neck just before Tobias buried his axe into the back of its head; he gave the boy a smirk before returning back to the fight. Dominic rushed in and pushed the next walker into the brick wall of a nearby home, pulling out his knife and burying it in the undead's forehead. As he yanked out his blade, the walker slumped to the floor. Tobias finished off the last walker just as Dominic returned to the street.

Tobias let out a heaving laugh as they took a moment to regain their breath. "Five to five… looks like it's a tie."

"What can I say, I'm a natural," Dominic laughed, his signature sarcasm finally returning after so long. "Next time I'll win."

"Over my dead body!" was all Tobias could say. As soon as they regained their breath, they hauled the rest of the bodies to the pile, the older man examining the dead in disgust.

"What do you do with them afterwards?" Dominic asked as they walked back into the street. "Burn them?"

"Another crew gets sent out to collect the bodies and haul them to burn outside of town," Tobias explained. "It's too dangerous to burn them so close to the camp, you know?"

"I get that," Dominic replied instantly. "Alright, where are we meeting up with team two then?"

"Couple blocks north," Tobias confirmed, holstering his axe in a holster on his back as he spoke. "Gonna have to keep quiet as we get closer to downtown, roamers are bound to be everywhere."

* * *

The street in front of Horton's Drug Store bustled with undead life as Dominic and Tobias hid behind a large brick bank on the opposite side of the road, a metal fence being the only thing between them and the side street they were on. Dominic sighed as he gripped the machete tightly in his hand, taking a peek from behind the wall before turning back to Tobias.

"Your friends are taking too long, sooner or later they're going to smell us."

Tobias didn't respond, instead he pulled out his radio, lowering the volume slightly before holding down the button. "We're in position team two, when's the party starting?"

" _We're comin' up on Clayton street now, you'll know when the party starts,_ " Sean's voice, a deep baritone that sounded a lot like Lee's to Dominic, responded between the crackles of static emanating from the radio.

He watched as the walkers roamed through the street ahead of them, each one moving mindlessly with the others in the herd, while some broke off from the group and went their own way. One decided to come towards them, forcing Dominic to jerk his head back before it could see him.

"For the first time in my life, I'm ready for a party to start," Dominic muttered underneath his breath.

The next several seconds seemed to drag on in agony before pockets of gunfire pierced the air to the east. Dominic took in a deep breath before peeking around the corner again, letting out a sigh of relief as the now five walkers pushing towards them returned to the street ahead, the entire herd of undead stumbling towards the gunfire with renewed interest.

Nudging Tobias with his free hand, Dominic stepped into the street, watching the walkers pass by the drug store as he hid behind the shells of burnt out cars for cover. The gunfire continued for a few more seconds before finally ceasing, the roar of the undead slowly fading into the distance as the street finally cleared.

"They wasted a shitton of bullets there," Dominic mumbled as they pushed across the street to the pharmacy. The main entrance was blocked off by a metal gate, leaving the only viable entrance being through the windows, which were sealed off with planks of wood on the inside.

"Probably had some walkers already there," Tobias concluded, clutching the axe in his hand before chopping at the planks within the busted windows. As Tobias hacked away, Dominic watched the herd in the distance to make sure the noise didn't bring them back. "Alright, we're through, let's clean this place out."

Dominic followed him inside, the interior reminding him a lot of the Everett Pharmacy Drugstore in Macon. Various odds and ends filled the shelves near the front of the store, mostly useless junk for tourists to buy while visiting the university, while other aisles were nearly empty. He followed Tobias deeper into the store until they reached the pharmacy window, it's metal gate firmly shut and locked.

"Look for a side door," Dominic stated as they approached, "maybe we'll get lucky and find the keys."

"God, don't get my hopes up," Tobias deadpanned, his eyes examining the empty shelves before falling on a door labelled "Employees only" on the far wall. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Get it open while I search the rest of this room, some of this over-the-counter stuff could still be useful. Ibuprofen, naproxen, there's a shitton of stuff here we could use." Dominic added.

"Copy that."

The drug wall ran alongside the left side of the store, each section titled by the type of medication. Dominic opened his bag and started grabbing as many bottles he could find that might be useful, while grabbing a few bottles of creams and lotions that could help with wounds. He smiled as a thought popped into his brain, _just this stuff alone makes the trip worth it._ He peered towards the open window at regular intervals to make sure the street was still clear as Tobias kicked the door, each kick resulting in a loud bang as the wood slowly cracked. If they didn't get through that door in the next minute however, the noise they were making would surely draw the dead back.

As Dominic grabbed the last bottles of painkillers on the shelf, Tobias asked between kicks. "So what did you do before all this? Kinda curious, since you don't seem like the kind of guy who was prepared for this kind of thing."

Dominic laughed as he zipped the bag closed and threw it over his shoulder. "I worked in a pharmacy. Seems like you did a hell of a job picking the right person to bring."

"No shit?" Tobias laughed in disbelief, kicking the door one last time before the lock finally gave in and the door swung open. "Well, let's hope the owners left us some goodies inside."

The room inside was cast into eternal darkness; Tobias pulled out a flashlight from his pack and sweeped the beam through the room. Canned goods and more medicine bottles were stacked on shelves, leaving them speechless as they entered.

"Holy shit, you see all of this?" Dominic breathed as he picked up a can of beans from a shelf. "There's enough food in here to feed the camp for weeks."

"Damn, we should've brought more bags."

As they pushed deeper into the room, a rotten smell filled the air, forcing Dominic to gag as he covered his nose. At the far end of the room, they could see another door nestled in between two shelves with a small window towards the top. Tobias peered in, flashing his light through the window before turning back to Dominic. "Looks like this is it. Here, hold this for me while I try to get the door open." He handed Dominic the flashlight.

"Hold on, let me check the rest of the room first; it's quiet in here, but that smell's gotta be coming from somewhere."

"Thinking there might be roamers in here somewhere?" Tobias asked.

"I don't know."

Dominic turned around and sweeped the flashlight over the remaining corners of the storeroom, the beam locking on a torn up mattress by an emergency exit. He forced back bile as he realized where the smell had been coming from. Two rotting corpses were holding onto each other on the mattress, their skin long since rotted away, leaving chunks of meat and bone behind. Their heads had a massive hole through them, maggots crawling through the blackened blood as they ate away at the rest of the body. He found a shotgun clutched in the larger corpse's hands, pointed directly upward at its owner.

"Goddamn…" Dominic whispered, holding his breath as he bent down next to the bodies. He reached into the larger corpse's pockets, silently hoping that the man had the key for the pharmacy.

"What is it?" Tobias called from the door.

"The owners of this place, they locked themselves in this room." Dominic explained, his tone a soft melancholy as he pulled out a set of keys and returned to the pharmacy door. He sighed before quoting a statement he heard a long time ago. "They opted out."

"Damn…" Tobias breathed, shaking his head to get the image that was forming out of his mind. "Okay, fuck, let's just get this finished and get the fuck out of here." Dominic tossed him the keys as more gunfire echoed in the distance.

"What the hell?" Dominic returned to the door to the main floor, peering out the window as the gunfire continued.

"Roamers must've lost interest and started coming back," Tobias replied, his eyebrow raising as he fumbled with the keys, trying each one on the pharmacy door until he found the right one. "Alright, we're in. Let's finish up before they run out of bullets."

They rushed into the room, unzipping their bags before tossing as many bottles of medicine into their packs as they could. The gunfire stopped just as abruptly as it started, leaving the two men in complete silence as the bottles clacked against each other.

"You about full?" Tobias called from several rows down as Dominic zipped up his pack.

"Yeah, just about cleaned out this place too," Dominic replied, a smile plastered on his face. "I might grab a few cans of those beans while I'm at it. It's been a while."

Tobias laughed before pulling out his radio. "Hey Sean, we're about done here."

There was a momentary pause before Sean's voice replied. " _Alright, we're on our way. Give us a few minutes to skirt around these bastards._ "

As Tobias slipped the radio back onto his belt, Dominic slung his bag onto his shoulder, laughing as he spoke. "Man, haven't had a run go this smoothly in a long time."

"Don't jinx it now," Tobias deadpanned.

They stepped through the storeroom and back into the main floor. Both of their bags felt like they weighed a metric ton. Tobias dropped his bag to the floor before approaching the entrance, his eyes searching the street for any threat moving in on them. There was nothing, the dead were still down the street. _Good_. He turned around as Dominic dropped his own bag

"I'm going to go grab that shotgun while we're here," Dominic stated, returning to the storeroom door.

"Yeah, good thinking," Tobias replied, his eyes returning to the street. "While you're doing that, I'm going to go check around outside to make sure there's no lurkers hiding down the other streets."

Dominic nodded before entering to the dark room, returning to the couple in the corner. He bent down before slowly reaching out for the shotgun, as if the man below him would suddenly reanimate, but his fears were for naught as the weapon slipped out of the cadaver's fingers. Holding the shotgun in his right hand, he used his free hand to search the body's pockets for any shells he might've missed earlier, coming up with nothing. _Damn._ He quickly retreated from the bodies and back onto the main floor, picking up the bags just as the truck came to a stop outside. He watched as tobias approached the truck. Sean hopped out the back, running his hand over his shaved head as another man in camo jumped out of the truck. Well, at least the run was finished so he could go home, the bags were starting to hurt his shoulders. As he approached the window, he could hear the men talking outside.

" _Who the hell is this?!_ " Tobias pointed a finger at the man standing next to Sean. Sean's eyes darted between Tobias and the newcomer, who had a smile plastered across his face as he extended his hand towards Tobias.

" _Hello again Tobias,_ " the man greeted in a casual tone, dropping his hand when Tobias didn't shake his hand. " _I hope you don't mind us crashing your party, but I need some questions answered, and you're going to give 'em to me._ " Something about that voice sounded familiar to Dominic, almost as if…

 **BANG!**

He watched in horror as Sean's body fell limp to the floor, the mysterious man holding a smoking revolver in his hand as he smiled at Tobias. Ten more men dressed in a similar fashion jumped out of the truck and surrounded the soldier, yanking away his weapons as he stared directly at the man in front of him.

" _Where's the fucking prick that killed my men?_ " The man finished.


	26. Who to Blame

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 3: The Hunted**

 **Chapter 26: Who to Blame**

* * *

" _What the hell are you talking about?_ " Tobias hissed as he stared up at the devil in front of him, meeting his eyes with immense hatred and feigned innocence. The man laughed, exchanging annoyed glances with his men. They raised their weapons, awaiting their commands, while their leader punched Tobias into the ground, the fallen soldier gasping as his head collided with the snow-laden cement below. The street fell silent, with only the minute clang of metal and brass between the men's fingers reaching their ears.

" _Don't act dumb, Tobias, you know_ _ **exactly**_ _who I'm talking about,_ " the bandit purred as he kneeled in front of the injured soldier, the sound of crunching snow emanating through the empty street. " _ **Five**_ _of my boys were killed not twelve hours ago, and here you are, pushin' straight into_ _ **my**_ _territory. That makes it pretty_ _ **fucking**_ _clear who's to blame."_ He seethed, his eyes burrowing into the boy's soul, already searching for his weaknesses to make the ending of his life that much more entertaining. " _Hell, a part of me thinks that maybe it was_ _ **you**_ _pricks, thinking that you can fight back, but you're seriously not that_ _ **stupid**_ _, are you Toby?_ " A wicked smile split across his face as Tobias nursed his cheek, staring at the man in defiance. " _No, som_ _eone else_ _killed my men, and you took him in. I bet that made him an asset, someone you could trust to put down the big_ _ **bad**_ _Hunters for you._ " He raised his eyebrows for a moment, laughter escaping his mouth.

" _Fuck you!_ " Tobias cursed, blood spilling out of his mouth as he tried to get back up and swing a punch at the man, only to be restrained by the surrounding bandits as the tall man landed a kick to his stomach, leaving him to collapse into the frozen snow.

" _Listen here, you little shit,_ " the leader seethed as he released the pistol from its holster, the cold metal sliding between his skin as his fingers found the trigger. He raised the pistol up to the boy's head and pulled back the hammer with his thumb, letting the click reverberate in his prisoner's ears. " _You tell me where the fucking cunt is, and you get to live. Otherwise I'm going to kill you, and pay a visit to your camp and find him myself._ " The devil's ultimatum lingered on his tongue while Tobias sat silent in the snow. He quickly pushed himself up and stared at the man, spitting in his face.

Dominic watched the whole scene from the shadows of the pharmacy. With the craving to help Tobias burning in his hands and feet, but he couldn't save him. The man they had been searching for all this time was only a mere ten feet away from them, and alas, he could do nothing but watch his friend's death sentence, because he knew if he were to step outside, it would be his as well.

Simmons wiped the spit from his face, the collection of wrinkles and skin turning blood-red while his smile only grew wider. " _Don't make me remind you about our agreement,_ " the man continued to his prisoner, his tone relaxed, yet sinister.

 _Agreement?_

Dominic's eyes narrowed as he watched Tobias stare at the man, his face contorting from hate to fear in an instant, like a flip of a switch. " _I_ _-I have no idea_ _who you're talking about, Simmons._ "

 _Well, at least I've got a name to a face._ Dominic thought as he watched the man in question's eyebrows furrow before he kicked Tobias in the gut again, the once proud soldier now lying in the snow, with little hope that he would get out of this alive. As his prisoner held back pained yelps, Simmons looked toward the pharmacy, examining it as if the walls would give him the answer he seeked. Dominic jumped from the window and hid behind a shelf as soon as the man's eyes pierced the darkness of the store. He dropped the bags of medicine to the floor as quietly as he could before checking the shotgun for any rounds. _Damn it, empty._ He thought as his fingers struggled to close the chamber. The gun fell to the floor with a faint clatter as Simmons's voice echoed outside.

" _Wait a minute, I'm forgetting something."_ Simmons mused, _"Your homeboy Sean said there were two of you out here... so... where's your partner Toby?_ " He looked down at the cowering soldier as if they were best friends, the seemingly harmless question dripping from his lips.

 _Shit._

" _I-I'm_ _al-_ _!_ " Tobias started to exclaim with tears held back in his eyes, but it was too late, the man had already seen through his facade.

" _Bullshit._ " The friendly tone was now gone, _"check the building, bring me the fucker. I can bet my left nut it's our murderer._ " He deadpanned.

Dominic peeked out from his hiding place to see two of the bandits walking towards the pharmacy, weapons cocked and ready. Dominic gripped his machete tightly in his hand as he sprinted into the storeroom, closing the door behind him. He grabbed the nearest shelf and barred it in front of the door, the metal scraping against the floor as he used whatever strength he had left. Once the door was blocked, he wasted no time to head straight for the emergency exit at the opposite end of the room, the sliver of light from the door at the end of the room looking like a beacon of hope in a shit storm. He smashed against the door at full speed, his hands colliding with the smooth metal door, only for him to be forced back, his feet skidding against the floor. In confusion, he pushed again, only for nothing to happen; he was trapped.

 _This isn't happening… this isn't_ _ **FUCKING**_ _happening!_ He struggled to calm his breathing as he spun around, his vision blinded by the darkness. It was the one advantage he had left, and he was going to use it to kill these fuckers. He shuffled between the row of shelves, inching towards the back of the room, with the sound of muffled footsteps emanating from the other room. Just as the banging and shouting began, it was cut short by the static piercing the storeroom. _The radio!_

The static barely reached his ears as the bandits kicked at the door, the shelf moving a few centimeters with each dreaded kick. Panicking, he grabbed the radio, his hand trembling while he held down the button.

"Molly! The Hunters ambushed us! They've got-!"

The door flew open as the shelf fell flat on the concrete floor, causing a loud clang as metal met concrete, and the various cans rolling through the room. Light illuminated the front of the storeroom as Dominic quickly tried to turn off the radio, barely catching Molly's panicked voice on the other end before sending the room into silence. The two figures entered the storeroom with guns raised, each intent on getting the kill on the murderer lying within the darkness.

"Come on out dickwad, before you force us to kill you now!" One of the bandits snarled as he aimed his AK-47 down one of the rows. Dominic held his breath as he inched forward, silently hoping he could get behind them. With each silent step, he could hear one of them fumbling with a flashlight, clicking it on and waving it toward where he had just been, and the couple still asleep on their deathbed. Sweat dripped down his face as he turned around the final corner, their backs now in front of him.

His foot found a tin can in the darkness, causing the metal object to make a clanging sound as it skidded across the floor. The bandits instantly spun around, the flashlight blinding Dominic, leaving little time for the boy to charge at the first silhouette he could make out and bring the machete down towards its head. The bandit countered his attack with his rifle, pushing Dominic back before his friend knocked him to the ground with his pistol, yanking away his blade.

Dazed by the sudden hit, Dominic tried to scramble away, his fingers clawing at the floor like a lifeline without a rope to grasp, but the men were faster, grabbing his leg and dragging him towards the door. He fumbled for anything he could find; shelves, cans, boxes, but it was no use. With his heart falling into his stomach and his nails dragging uselessly against the floor, his head fell, sliding with his dignity. His face collided with the lip of the door as he was dragged out into the main floor and out the window, only to be dropped right next to where Tobias sat in the snow, his eyes wide as he stared down at his fallen comrade next to him.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is, the man of the hour," Simmons exploded in delight as the bandits forced the boy to his knees. Dominic took in the man's face as the bandit examined him back. His eyes were a bright green, almost shining with joy. A jet-black beard covered his face, and his teeth were a rotten yellow. Dominic knew this face, it was the man from his visions. The man who was meant to kill him; except the burns that plagued his body before were now painstakingly absent. The man smirked as he took the boy's machete from his subordinates, slicing it through the air right in front of Dominic's nose before kneeling down in front of the boy. "You don't look so tough."

"Give me back my machete and I'll show you just how tough I am," Dominic snarled, the hatred in his soul almost palpable in the air. He could smell the man's breath, the foul odor plaguing his nostrils while he stared at his captor. Dominic could sense the warmth of this man's blood pulsing in his veins, and he already pleaded for the crimson liquid to cover his hands.

"Maybe later," the man laughed, returning his gaze to the machete in his hands. He examined it with interest before holding the blade against the boy's neck. Tobias stared in fear as Dominic didn't move, deciding to stare down the man instead. "You're a fearless one, aren't ya?" Simmons chuckled, running the blade against Dominic's shaved neck. "Not even a blade to your throat will scare you." He smiled as he pressed it harder against his neck, a thin layer of blood seeping out of the paper-thin cut, travelling slowly down the center of the boy's neck. "That's okay though, once I'm through with you, you'll be shaking so hard, your dick will fall off."

"Do you realize how gay that sounds?" Dominic muttered, his eyes not leaving Simmons as the man stared back at him just as coldly.

"Don't push me, boy. I already want to kill you, don't give me a reason to do it now before I get the chance to have fun with you." He spat as he stood up and handed the machete to one of his followers.

"The good kind of fun, I hope." Dominic retorted, raising his eyebrow.

A shout filled the air, causing everyone to look up at a bandit standing watch in the bed of the military truck; he was pointing down the road. "Biters!"

The dead stumble towards them like a macabre parade, nearly three hundred strong, as the man smiled once more at his prisoners. "You're lucky, I don't have the time to gut you here," he ignored the angry glares he was receiving from the younger man as he turned back to his group. "Get them in the truck."

* * *

"Laundry duty?! For fuck's sake!" Molly watched as the man raked all of the clutter off of Wolffe's desk and onto the floor; the scrambled papers and knick-knacks joining in fear as they were swept from the desk and into the air, only to collide with the tiled floor, silent and afraid. She stood silent at the command center door while the man in the blue hoodie and black trousers yelled at the sergeant like a stubborn child. The man's hair was short and brown, sticking up in random places as if he had just gotten out of bed mere moments before, with a pair of glasses resting on his nose, one of the lenses cracked through the center. As she listened, she picked up on an accent in his voice she couldn't recognize, but definitely sounded British more than anything. "I've been in this city for a goddamn year and I've done _literally_ nothing!" The man exploded, his hands waving in the air as the soldiers standing around them looked to their leader for direction; most of them wanting nothing more than to throw out the man themselves. "I'm going fucking **insane**!"

Wolffe released an annoyed sigh and waved off his men as he turned to look at the mess on his floor in disdain. "Listen, kid; the less civilians I have outside the walls, the better," he muttered in as casual of a tone as he could, "we simply have too many people missing as it is."

"I'm going stir crazy here!" The strange man roared, taking a step toward Wolffe's desk; the sound of his pugnacious feet hurling forward signaling the soldiers to raise their weapons. When the strange man saw the cold barrels pointing in his direction, his frenzied mind took a mental step back, considering better options. "Trust me, you don't want me to get stir crazy. Things tend to get bad when I go stir crazy." He sighed, realizing the situation he was in. "Just… let me out. Hell, I could go help find the missing people!" He bellowed.

"Steven, calm down before I make you calm down," Wolffe breathed while he gathered the odds and ends the man had knocked over and placed them back on the desk in the order he had them before returning his gaze to the culprit, a stern look plastered across his face. " **Six** of my men haven't reported-"

"Your men were captured by the Hunters," Molly interrupted, stepping out of the hallway and into the command center, approaching the scene. Both men turned toward her with mixed reactions as she placed her hand on her hip. "And I'm assuming you know who they are, so point me in the right direction and I'll get your men back." She deadpanned, the sarcasm invading the atmosphere like a poison.

" **THANK YOU, SOMEONE AGREES WITH ME!** " Steve exclaimed with exasperation, his hands waving around just as emotively as his facial expression. "Well, kind of. I mean, she agrees someone should get out and look. I want to get out. I'll look. Sorted. So, I'm going out to look then?" He gave a confused look at the sergeant with his mix of jumbled phrases, his brain slowly piecing the puzzle together of what just happened.

"Shut up for a damn second!" Wolffe shouted at Steve before he snapped his head toward Molly, who continued to audaciously stare him down. "How do you know the Hunters captured the scavenging team?" He inquired, raising a brow.

"Dominic radioed me just before he was captured, said it was the Hunters. I figured you'd know the name." She stated, turning the investigation back to him.

"Excuse me, did you just tell me… **DID YOU. JUST. TELL ME TO SHUT UP?!** " Steve roared at Wolffe, arrogantly interrupting Molly and her cross examination session. His eyes were wide with disbelief that the sergeant would be so rude.

Wolffe ignored Steve's continued outbursts. Without missing a beat, he went on to explain."Well, the Hunters took control of Zone 2 several months ago, where this loud-mouthed Brit used to live before ending up here. Zone 2 was Clarke Central High School, a few miles west of downtown." He twitched in his seat as he tried to get comfortable, drawing a good breath before continuing on. "But if the Hunters have my men, they're as good as dead. There's no fighting against them." He looked at her with blank eyes, and a hardened jaw. "I'm sorry, we just can't lose anyone else."

"If you _don't_ fight them, then you're **all** going to end up dead." Molly muttered, crossing her arms. "Well," She huffed. "I'm going to find them, and I'm going to bring back Dominic and anyone else I find there."

"Right, you know what? Fuck you. I'm going out too." Steve announced in defiance, taking a step back beside Molly, giving her a quick wink. "If the Hunters are in Zone 2, I guess that's where I'm headed. You can try to stop me but fuck you, it's a free country. At least it was. Or will be. Or whatever. I'm out." He nodded his head at Wolffe, as if signaling his choice on an alliance.

"Fine!" Wolffe snapped, his eyebrows furrowing as he slammed his hands against the desk, the boom startling his men behind him. "Go with her and get yourselves killed! I'm not risking any more of my men's lives rescuing you!" He stared at them, his face a collection of coals burning behind his skin.

"Good! I don't want any of your men to stand by and watch as they realize that they're useless!" Steve retorted, receiving looks from everyone in the room before Molly finally finished the conversation.

"We'll be back by tomorrow, don't worry about us."

Taking a quick glance at Steve, she rolled her eyes and marched towards the door, only turning back to the boy following her when the door closed behind them. "You know where the armory is right?" She questioned with a look of contempt.

"Bitch please, I've spent a year in this place, I know it like the back of my hand. It's this way," The man quipped before heading joyfully off to the right, then abruptly turning back towards Molly. "Nope, it's actually in this direction." He muttered confidently.

"Ugh, why did I have to end up with the idiot," she muttered under her breath.

"No, you see, I was just testing you. You failed." He stated, taking yet another sudden change in direction as they reached an intersection.

* * *

The truck bounced with every hole in the road, each jolt causing Dominic's head to bang against the metal interior behind him. He grimaced as he struggled with the bindings tied around his wrists, not concerned if the bandits around him were watching his every move. They didn't seem to care nonetheless: they had already won. What could he do if he got free? He'd be dead the instant he made his move.

Opposite him, Tobias sat in silence, sweat and blood dripping down his face and gear while staring out over the trailer at the passing buildings as they flew by; Dominic could tell in his eyes that he had already given up, which angered the boy more than their capture ever could. They needed to find an opening, anything to make their escape, but Tobias just sat there in submission, waiting like a lamb for the slaughter. There was more history between UGA and the Hunters than Dominic knew, he could see that; why else would Tobias submit so easily? Why else would Sergeant Wolffe disapprove of the plan? The real reason had to lie behind the agreement Simmons mentioned before; Tobias was hiding something big, and whatever it was, Dominic was now involved, and had to find out.

The bandits around them laughed amongst themselves as they told jokes, some of them bold enough to throw insults in Dominic's direction; calling him a murderer, and a whole slew of curse words that hardly affected him in the slightest. Some of them sat back drinking whatever liquid was in their containers: surely alcohol, judging by the stench Dominic's nose picked up. They were a _great_ bunch, he could tell by listening to the way they spoke about past stories of thievery and rape. Some mentioning the tales of their escape from prison on the first day of the apocalypse. One in particular, a lanky bandit, described how not one prisoner or guard had the virus, but saw the stories erupting on the television. He rallied the whole cafeteria against the guards, killing them all and taking the keys, only to turn his back on his prison buddies and lock them inside the gates once the guards starting reanimating.

Even now, especially after listening to these men talk about their hideous crimes and breakouts, he felt justified in killing these bandits, and if he had his way, they would join the list of the dead left in his wake. Murderous assholes deserved to be murdered by a murderous asshole.

The truck began to slow down as a large building loomed ahead of them, Dominic couldn't really see it very well from his seat, but the large fence surrounding the building was oddly similar to the one around UGA, although he could tell it was a different place entirely by the shape of the complex. The building overall was sort of downsized; less stories, though more windows. The parking lot in front of the complex was smaller and less spaced, with the overabundance of trees lacking, as well as the aroma of leaves. The bandit that told the story smiled in his direction as they approached the front gate, where two more bandits awaited their arrival as they pulled the gate open.

"I can't wait to see what the Boss has got in store for you, you little cunt," the man sneered, a devilish grin erupting from the corners of his mouth.

"Did you kiss your old prison mates with that mouth?" Dominic questioned without emotion, his eyes just as soulless as he felt.

The man scoffed as he toyed with his AK-47, "I should just kill you right 'ere, see who's laughing then."

"Leave him alone, Marcus," another man sighed as the truck came to a full stop within the compound.

"Fuck off Nathan, you don't have a say in this!" Marcus growled, his eyes marking this new contender in the conversation. Nathan was a rather scrawny man, his brown eyes seemed to almost laugh at Marcus's remark behind his pair of large specs. A little grin creased across his face as he stood up, glancing in Dominic's direction before returning to Marcus.

"Do you really want me to be the one that has to tell the boss you killed his prisoner? I'm sure he wouldn't be that happy, he'd probably just kill you instead." He muttered, stepping towards the exit of bed of the truck.

As the men file out of the truck one by one, Marcus locked eyes with Nathan before giving one last glare in Dominic's direction. "If you want to defend the fucker, go ahead. I'll make sure the two of you end up sharing the same cell." He stood up, dusting off his dirt-soiled clothes and jumping out of the truck, and leaving the two prisoners with the amused Nathan. The hum of the motor gently idled in the background for a few more seconds before dying out.

Dominic laughed as the man helped them to their feet. "Dissent within the ranks, my, you guys are a lovely bunch."

"Talking like that is only going to get you killed, kid," the man spoke in a soft tone as he pulled down the tailgate for the prisoners to sit on and drop to the ground.

Tobias lingered on the tailgate for a moment while Nathan and Dominic spoke back-and-forth. He stared at the complex, taking in a subtle breath before letting his boots touch the ground. Silent, he followed behind Nathan, no emotion in his expression with his eyes down watching the gravel he walked on.

"I don't really care about what you think," Dominic retorted as he followed Nathan towards the complex ahead, which Dominic now recognized to be some sort of school. The words "Clarke Central" were plastered over the entrance in white metal letters; the doors of the school were blown out and shards of glass hanging on to the pane, with only guards stationed outside keeping the exit secure. A large pole stood just in of the plaza, the American flag blowing in the wind, upside down. Nathan stopped just in front of the pole before turning around to face Dominic, jaw locked and eyes stern.

"Do you want to die?"

"I'm not gonna go down without a fight," Dominic confirmed.

"Listen to me, that confidence shit ain't gonna get you anywhere. Simmons hates people who disobey and backtalk him. I'm just trying to make sure you two get out of this alive," he sighed as he turned his attention to the flag above them. "Too many people have died already."

"What is he gonna do, spank me?" He rolled his eyes before the glare Nathan was giving him stopped him short, "Why do you even care about what happens to us?" Dominic scoffed, staring up at the bandit.

"Because some of us aren't happy with the way things are here. Adrian, one of those men _you_ killed, was our best chance at stopping that psychopath, and now he's dead." He muttered, glaring at the prisoner.

"So… what? You think that I'm going to help you?" Dominic sassed, mentally filing Nathan under a red flag. He wasn't buying the whole 'I want to help you' thing, the guy was still a bandit, and until he truly proved his place, that's all he would be.

"Nathan! Hurry up with those fucking prisoners!" A voice from within entrance of the school broke up up their conversation, forcing their eyes to turn toward the figure of Marcus leaning against the door, gripping his AK-47 with a gleam in his eyes for blood.

"Just… don't resist okay? I'll try to talk him out of killing you." Nathan hissed, shoving Dominic and Tobias forward, and into the school, Tobias fumbling his footing as the momentum nearly sent him crashing to the ground.

"That's a fucking leap of faith right there." Dominic stated bluntly, stomping ahead eagerly, awaiting the next bullshit situation he had to deal with.


	27. Unlikely Alliances

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 3 - The Hunted**

 **Chapter 27: Unlikely Alliances**

* * *

The pair stood at the end of the hallway from the armory door, where two soldiers stood guard, both armed with assault rifles and sidearms strapped to their legs. "Any bright ideas, genius?" Molly muttered, the cool hallway air sending tiny goosebumps down her spine.

"Well, in the movies," Steve began, his sarcastic nature springing to life. "This is where the hot female protagonist uses her womanly wiles to distract the guards while the much more important male lead sneaks in behind them." He glanced over at Molly before gesturing at the men.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Womanly wiles? Wait, do you mean-?" Her eyes widened before settling on an annoyed glare.

"Strip down to your underwear and flirt with them so we can go rescue those poor, unfortunate souls? Yeah, something like that." He chuckled to himself.

"In your dreams, kid." She sighed, resisting the urge to grip the boy by his throat and choke him before turning back to the real problem.

"Well, if you have a better idea, feel free to share." He spread his arms out wide to receive her ideas as he leaned against the wall, the cold brick almost as embracing. "Who's this Dominic guy you're so intent on rescuing anyway?" His brow raising at his own question.

"A friend… It's not important right now," she retorted, her eyes remaining on the two soldiers down the hallway. "And, well, you know, we could just _ask_ to go in." She shrugged, smacking her bitter whip of sarcasm. "After all, he did say we can go out. What are they going to do? Not let us have our own weapons?"

"I mean, I wouldn't put it past them. You can go ahead and try if you really want to, but while you're failing, I'll be back here, attempting to come up with a _real_ plan."

She sighed. "Just watch."

She stepped from around the corner, the two guards glanced at her as she approached, unmoving as she stopped in front of them. Her subtle breaths relaxed as she prompted her cause. "I'm going outside the fence, Wolffe's given me permission to get my weapons."

"I'm afraid we'd have to hear it from the Sergeant himself, ma'am. No offense." The soldier muttered, foiling her plan, it seemed.

Steve stood snickering down the hall, watching as the conversation played out like a scene from a great comedy. "There's no way in hell they're letting her in." He retorted to himself, dying for the popcorn.

Shoulders hunched forward, she took a deep breath, Steve's silent bellowing of laughter echoing in her mind while her thoughts raced wildly, searching for another alternative. Straightening up her posture once she finished her failed mission, she spoke. "Go ask him then, I can wait." She said calmly, returning the deadpan tone.

She turned to glare at Steve, her eyes glowing like wildfire as the boy let out a quiet laugh. The soldier on her right unclipped the radio from his belt and held down the plastic button to call in to Wolffe. "Sarge, I've got a couple civilians requesting access to weapons for a run, please advise, over."

After the static had passed, an audible sigh crackled on the other end. " _Let them through, over._ "

The soldier put his radio back on his belt before returning his gaze to Molly, who had to fight the urge to gawk in surprise at the fact her plan had succeeded. "Alright, you can get your weapons," the man sighed, taking a step back from the door. She turned back to gloat to Steve, only to see him staring in disappointment, the metaphoric popcorn spilled onto the linoleum floor.

"My plan was better," he deadpanned as he marched towards them, sighing as the soldiers unlocked the door to allow them access. With a sly smirk, Molly stepped through.

"Man, these guys are fucking stocked," Molly breathed as she scanned the room; the tables were still in their pattern, five by four, the black, dust covered surface not even showing as the metal stacked in untidy piles, just enough to not be tetris-styled. The walls were made of sheetrock with vanilla wallpaper covering the base. The memories of the school's past still echoed out through dried gum and molded stains of unknown liquids left on the walls. The inspirational one-lined posters ( _"confidence"_ , _"persevere_ ") still hung on their nails with dust and debris clinging to the once shiny glass frames. To the right of the door, in the center of the room was the cliche brown teacher's desk, toppled over with various weapons like grenades and flash bangs stashed in and around the drawers, with random firearms leaning against the edges, zip ties strung between the triggers. Behind the desk a dusted chalkboard rested, its final lesson still etched on the board, _"_ _ **The Laws of Gravity**_ _"_ ,hidden behind the debris. Small splotches of dried crimson were glued in and around the corners.

Along the perimeter of the room, the science equipment and leftover school supplies were stockpiled in corners and along the walls, gathering the familiar clumps of dust; empty beakers smashed on the ground from rough handling, broken glass scattering the perimeter of the room (a mess a man with no shoes would never survive), and bookbags and planners stuffed between the crevices. Light filtered in between the cracks of the blinds covering the windows, lighting up the center of the room where small wrapper fragments could still be seen upon further inspection, most of the sticky substances already gone and out on the bottom of an unwary soldier stepping in the wrong place. Sprawled out among the tables, were various assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, and, few and far between, rocket launchers (sadly, after a brief second of investigation, no rockets were found in the room) and other heavy weaponry. Towards the back of the room, laid an assortment of knives, ammo, and melee weapons laid neatly on their table. As her eyes picked apart the room, she could see her pickaxe awaiting her, growing cold from the lack of her body heat. She darted across the room, the sound of glass crunching under her shoes as snatched it up. "And boy have I missed you, Hilda!" She exclaimed, hugging the pickaxe. After the brief hugging session, she retrieved a pistol from the table beside her, and helped herself to an AK-47 from another close by, quickly making mental notes to where the all the important parts of the rifle were: the safety, and how to unclip the magazine. She grabbed a couple magazines for the road before Steve's voice filled the air behind her.

"You named your pickaxe Hilda? The fuck?" Steve tried not to laugh as his eyes scanned the room for a weapon, his eyes fixing on a SPAS-12 lying next to a small box labeled with a crinkled piece of paper ' _ **WARNING; 12 GAUGE, DO NOT SHOVE IN EAR**_ ' across it. After grabbing the shotgun, he picked up a sidearm and some ammo, and a knife with a long, curved blade and turned his attention to the woman glaring at him.

She swung her pickaxe through the air, listening to the air rushing around the metal before placing it in its familiar sheathe on her backpack, where it had been missing for far too long. "Hilda was my sister, it seemed like a good name." She muttered as she moved towards the door, where the two soldiers still stood guard against the wall. "Now let's get going, before I end up leaving you behind."

* * *

Clementine stared out of the window as only the sliver of golden sunlight remaining on the horizon was blocked out by the tall trees and buildings surrounding the university. Molly had left her to find Dominic only a mere twenty minutes earlier; she wouldn't tell her why, but she knew something had to have gone wrong on the supply run. Why would Molly be so agitated otherwise? She left Clementine in the care of Dr. Ainsworth, in the library medical clinic. He was so encumbered with the tending of patients and managing the space to watch over her, only briefly popping in to say hello and check on her wound before moving on again. After another ten minutes passed by, slowly but surely, the little child evaporated from his memory, leaving him fully focused on the sick men and women filling his clinic. There were more sick today than usual; the beds overrun by the old seeking treatments for diseases and medicine for their arthritis and other elderly troubles, while the rest of the beds were filled with patients coughing and hacking, a strange ailment Clementine couldn't identify plaguing their bodies.

"Mr. Ainsworth?" Clementine had called, her voice like a whisper within the crowded noise of the library/clinic. Makeshift beds lined the room, the shelves of knowledge pushed to the side for the more primary matters at hand. Clementine watched as the few men and women bustled about, her statute nothing but another shadow from the lingering tree outside. Some soldiers were helping others into their beds, some out of them, others rushing to and fro for medicine that may or may not have been available to those who needed it.

"Dr. Ainsworth…?" Clementine asked once more, alas she couldn't see nor hear the doctor anywhere, as if he ceased to exist in the crowd of the sick. Finally, she sighed and took a few steps towards the lingering exit door ahead of her, boredom and a burning desire to explore luring her into the possibly unknown. With nobody paying any mind to this girl's shadowing presence, she left the building unseen.

She shivered as the temperature continued to drop outside, dark clouds were looming in the distance, barely visible in the dim light as she stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. It certainly felt peaceful here to her: the happy faces (well, as happy a person can be in this new world they found themselves in), the soft snow crunching beneath her feet, a nice fence between her and the cruel world beyond. Fires burned across the courtyard in the center of each group of tents, most of them kept to barely embers so the flames wouldn't cast too much light into the city. It was a smart move, the walkers roamed all over the city, she was surprised that they have lasted this long without the dead breaking down their door.

Last time she stayed in a big city like this, she lost everyone she cared about, one by one; part of her conscience knew staying here was going to be a bad idea, but everyone seemed so nice here, even the soldiers, who gave her brief nods and warm smiles as they passed her by. They had a system that worked, something that Clementine's group always lacked, and she was determined to find out what it was.

She slipped on the black gloves she acquired from the laundry room and grabbed a handful of snow in her hand, inspecting each crystallized flake with a blank face as she let it pour to the ground in a steady stream. Being behind walls meant that maybe she could be a kid again, and it didn't snow very often in Georgia, so she was going to take advantage of the situation. She got on her knees and started scooping up the snow surrounding her, balling them up together until she formed the base of what would be her first ever snowman. She had never made one before, but they always made them in movies, so it couldn't be _that_ hard. Her fingers grew numb as the snow soaked through her gloves, forcing her to stop and rub them together for warmth every once in a while before continuing. Finally, she finished the body and stood up to admire her handiwork. It wasn't _bad_ … the body was a little lopsided, and it was a bit small for size, but there just wasn't enough snow around her to make it bigger. She scratched her chin for a moment as she searched her surroundings, but all she could see were tiny strips of grass poking about the wet ground for breath. Her eyes wandered for anything to use for the arms, eyes, and nose. Out a few yards, beneath a willow tree swishing in the wind, she found a few sticks calmly laying in the snow. As she ran and picked them up, she noticed thin pieces of wood sticking out, luckily having several smaller twigs branching off of them to form hands. She smiled with glee as she returned to her lopsided snowman and stuck them into each side, pointing one at a higher angle so it looked like her creation was waving at her, wishing her a swell day. She let out a tiny giggle as she waved back at her new friend.

"So, you're the new girl," a light voice called from behind Clementine, startling her as she swiveled around to find the source of the voice, only to see three boys about her age examining her with rolling eyes. The one in the middle shrugged before continuing, "You're don't look so tough."

Clementine glared at the boy as he smirked. He stood tall, an inch or so above her, his eyes like tiny beads, as if he were searching for something he couldn't find. He was lanky, his bony arms crossed, with his right hand missing, the nub a fleshy stump that was almost to his elbow. His brown hair laid flat against his head, neatly combed back and so short it didn't even reach his eyes. He wore a white jacket, zipped up to his neck with a necklace beaming from the sun, slowly letting up as the ball of fire fell beneath the university. His blue jeans were torn, spaces ripped near the knees.

"I don't need to be tough," she deadpanned, her golden eyes glowing in the waning light.

"'Cause you get your crazy daddy and his ugly girlfriend to kill 'em for ya, right?" The boy laughed, fist bumping the two boys behind him as he took a step towards her, turning back at her with a dead look and knocking off her hat with a swipe of his hand. "You're just a prissy little girl, making ugly snowmen, and wearing stupid-"

"You know what," her eyes narrowed as she grinded her teeth, her hands transformed into fists as she resisted the urge to punch the brat in the face. "I've had to kill people _much_ scarier than you. My 'dad' didn't kill them, and neither did Molly, _I_ did. So unless you want to be next, back off."

The boy's friends laughed as it became his time to narrow his eyes, the Battle of the Insults commencing. "That's funny, coming from a scrawny little girl like you."

"That's funny, coming from a boy with a missing hand," she retorted, receiving outbursts of "OHHHH"s from the audience of two sidekicks.

"Tom, leave her alone before she kicks your ass." A feminine voice called out from behind Clementine, forcing the four children to turn their gaze to the young woman approaching them. The middle boy, Tom, glared at her for a few more seconds before grunting out in defiance.

"Come on, guys." He whimpered.

He stomped away as his buddies snickered in his direction, their loyalty to their friend completely swept away as Tom's cheeks reddened. The woman approached Clementine, with a soft smile on her face as she picked up Clementine's fallen hat and wiped the snow off, placing it back in its place on the girl's head.

"You're a lot like me when I was your age," she laughed, her short bronze hair flowing in the wind as she peered down at the little girl. Her blue eyes seemed to smile at her, sending a wave of relief through Clementine's small adrenaline-fueled body. "I didn't take anyone's shit, just threw it right back at them," she smiled down at the little girl before sighing. "Tom's a problem child, his parents have pampered him ever since he lost his hand, and his friends treat him like he's the toughest boy they know. It's nice to see him knocked down a few notches."

"He's an asshole," Clementine stated, her eyes returning to the silhouettes of the boys in the distance.

"He is, but Brian and Caleb aren't that bad when they're not following Tom around like lost puppies…" She laid her hand on the little girl's shoulder as her eyes softened. "They didn't hurt you did they?"

"No," she replied.

"Good," she took in a deep breath as she visibly relaxed, "anyway, I don't think we've actually met yet. I'm Chloe."

"Clementine."

"That's a pretty name."

Clementine smiled. "Thanks."

Chloe smiled back as she looked at the snowman beside them. "Come on, I'll help you find something to use for the face." She laughed, the familiar coals and carrots absent from this odd snowman.

Clementine smiled as she followed Chloe towards the school. _Maybe it won't be so bad here after all._

* * *

Tobias stared at his hands in the eternal darkness as his erratic breathing filled the miniscule room he found himself in. The room was stripped bare of any items or furniture, leaving only him behind to sit in the darkness. The walls encircled him mere inches away from his body, but remained far enough away that he felt isolated in a pit of nothing; the fact the walls existed so close caused his breathing to become frantic, and escalated his already uneven heartbeats. He finally knew how it felt like to be trapped like an animal; his hands were tied behind his back, and a thick layer of duct tape was draped over his mouth. His lips were dry, the tape constricting the heat from his breath leaving his body. The air was humid and only getting hotter with every rampant breath he drew. The only sign that he wasn't in some hellish void was the thin sliver of light at the bottom of the closet door in front of him. Footsteps occasionally created dims in the light as they passed by, each set of feet accompanied by raucous laughter and incomprehensible conversations, their voices like echoes through the walls.

As soon as Simmons had his two new prisoners inside the school, he locked them both into the smallest closets he could find. Tobias had to watch as Dominic struggled to get free and make a break for it, only to end up with massive blue bruises all over his body and face where his captors beat him. The two prisoners locked eyes for a fraction of a second before the two men manhandling Tobias shoved him into the first closet, his head smashing against the concrete wall with a powerful thud before the door slammed closed.

What felt like hours have passed since then, and his breathing and adrenaline levels remained the same. Eventually, he knew that Simmons would drag him out of there to be questioned, about what, he had no clue. He wouldn't be keeping them here if he didn't have plans for them, so something had to happen. That something came in the way of sudden shouting in the hallway, the voices hollering and screaming in all directions before the closet door finally bursted open. Tobias's vision blurred by the sudden spectacle of light, a blurry silhouette standing in front of him for only a moment before he felt something snag on his shoulders and drag him out, a breath of fresh air entering his lungs. As his vision sharpened, he noticed Simmons had dragged him out, and the two henchmen were now wrenching him to his feet.

Simmons smiled down at his prisoner as he glared back, the burning fury still simmering in his eyes behind the overwhelming look of fear etched across his face. "Ah, Tobias, are you finding your accommodations to your satisfaction?" He asked, his tone hopeful, yet demeaning, like an old hotel employee who secretly hated everyone. The soldier said nothing as the bandits' grips on his arms tightened. "No," Simmons laughed, as if deeming his question as silly. "I'd imagine not, but you understand that consequences were needed for your disobedience. But, needless to say, you won't be going back in there again, I promise."

His gaze focused on his subordinates before he signalled them to follow him. They led Tobias through the labyrinth of hallways; old hallways with the school colors still brightly shining through the apocalypse, only minor fading and peeling of the paint while the school itself hasn't been functioning properly in over a year and a half. The lockers looked like photographs, frozen in time, unmoving, unopened. While Tobias was led down the corridors, the thought drifted through his mind if any of them were being used. Holding weapons? A prisoner's head? He would never know. The bandits pulled on his arms, forcing Tobias to nearly fall flat on his face once they reached their destination: the principal's office.

"Welcome to my office." Simmons announced boisterously as he entered the room, which he had converted into his own personal living quarters.

His guards shoved Tobias into the office and threw him into the seat across from Simmons's desk, wrapping his arms around the back of the chair and ripping the tape off his mouth before they turned to their leader, who waved them off. After they closed the door, Simmons laid back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk as he studied the man before him.

"We've got a lot to talk about," Simmons started with a heavy breath, his foot pivoting from side to side as he eyed his 'student'.

"I want to see him," Tobias croaked, his dry mouth barely starting to begin salivating again.

"I know you do, and don't worry, you will. I'm a man of my word. I just wanted to have a calm chat with you first." He spoke, his calm demeanor almost convincing.

"You kill my men, capture me, lock me in some closet, and expect a _calm_ chat?" Tobias spat, his adrenaline spiking a bit.

"The fact you're sitting here at all is a fucking miracle, Toby. See that head over there on the shelf?" Tobias cocked his head slowly to the side to view the shelf Simmons was pointing at behind him. It was your average book case; with many rows of tiny little knick-knacks, mostly just random shit thrown on the shelves and some even laden with dust, bringing the idea a few were left from before the apocalypse. On the very top shelf was the mutilated, severed head in question.

It belonged to a black man, his head cleanly shaven with a thick beard covering his jaw. A thin layer of dried blood pooled underneath it as it sat on top of a rusted metal dinner plate, and was covered by what appeared to be a broken fish bowl. The face no longer had the bright, charmful smile it once could've had, but now numbed to the world around it. The skin was rotting throughout its face, leaving gruesome cracks as wide as the Grand Canyon. The man's eyes were just as Simmons had hoped for them: a colorless hue, the pupils still as frantic as the day he died. A thin stripped gash was at the top of its forehead, where a knife had clearly ended the head's life. A tiny drip of blood still clung beneath the gash, dried and done with.

"That was the last person who pissed me off," Simmons explained with glee. "I cut him up and ate the meat for dinner. And you know what he did to piss me off?" Tobias turned away from the zombie heads to listen to this maniac speak, praying for a way to get back to Dominic and escape this school-turned-asylum hellhole.

"He didn't obey. He withheld information! Sound familiar?" His voice changed dramatically as he snapped at Tobias and swung his feet off of the desk.

Tobias stared at him without saying a word, his face turning pale while not daring to look at the shelf behind his captor.

"And let's not forget our friends over here," Simmons pointed towards another bookcase flanking him on his left. There was no color left in Tobias's face as he recognized who the heads belonged to. "You see, you're not the fucking good guy here, Tobias. Look at them." He paused for a moment as if he had a sudden epiphany. "Do you remember their names?"

Tobias gulped as he stared at each head, already knowing where Simmons was going with this visual torture. At a glance, the heads were all completely different from the first, the disembodied monsters still alive and breathing. Tobias knew if he were to get out of this alive, he would never get that horrific sight out of his nightmares. Their eyes were still wandering; one of them was looking around frantically, as if itching to bite a victim, to bite _him_. The others were more curious, wondering why they couldn't move, if they were wondering at all. The noise they made would haunt Tobias the most; a faint gurgling, growling noise, like a trio of off-pitched children dying in a fire, yet, so soft you could've mistaken the hellish noise for a running AC if you were distracted enough to not see them beforehand.

The first head was clean-shaven, like the other, but his silky eyes glared back at him as if damning Tobias. His nose purple and snapped out of shape, where it had most likely received a hard punch just prior to death. "Private James McKittrick." Tobias whispered, his heart beating faster and faster as he moved down the hellish list. The next head had chopped, dirty blond hair hanging above his frantic, soulless eyes. They jerked every which way, not even noticing Tobias staring directly at him. His skin was peeling away around his cheeks, revealing the blackened, rotten meat within the head's mouth. A few blackened slivers had evidently fallen out of its head, the remaining molded meat resting against the broken bowl. His teeth were a mustard yellow, chips and cracks missing throughout his jaw. Before Tobias looked away, he swore in his heart he noticed a tiny maggot sliding around inside its mouth. "Doug." He muttered to the callous bastard smiling back at him, who kept these heads cruelly living inside little glass bowls, as if they were some trophy busts of a skilled hunt.

The final head stopped his heart completely, tears pressing against his eyelids while he spat out the final name. It was the head of a child, no older than nine or ten, who's once long blonde hair that used to dance in the winter sun was now cut to its neckline. Her hair was matted and dirt clung to her roots and throughout the strands and clumps, hanging down like vines around her severed neck. Her mouth moved gently, as if muttering her final words over and over, but only joining in to the trio of a severed choir. Blood dripped through her pale nose, the black drips leaving dried trails down her skin. Her eyes met his, her final, innocent look still etched in her eyes while they looked, glancing from time to time around the room. He gulped before finally finding the courage to say the words. "Abigail Washington."

"Good, good. I was beginning to think you _really_ _**were**_ a heartless cretin." Simmons clapped his hands as if praising the man for a spectacular performance. "I want to personally thank you for bringing them to us, they were delicious. James was a bit stringy, but that Doug guy, mmmm he had a good layer of fat on 'im. And don't get me started on poor, sweet Abigail. She didn't have much meat on her, but man, women always taste great... don't give me that look, I didn't _rape_ her if that's what you're thinkin'." He laughed, turning back from the lovely display he'd created to continue chatting with his prisoner.

The room fell into a deathly silence as the soldier's mind reeled from the despicable horrors he had caused. He knew the Hunters had wanted them for food, but he always pushed that thought aside, trying to hide what he had done to these innocent civilians even from himself. But the reality of the situation sat snapping their jaws with eternal hunger mere feet away from him, sending dark shivers down his spine and his stomach into a never-ending pit. His body shuddered and shook with such ferocity, the chair physically moving backward, as if it was trying to escape the psychopath too. "Y-you... keep their heads like... _trophies_?!" Tobias screamed as he finally built up the courage to shout at the top of his lungs, "you sadistic piece of shit!" He thrusted himself forward, only for the chair to topple over, his bindings keeping him in place as his face smashed against the carpet.

The man roared with raucous laughter as he watched the pathetic soldier fall on his face. He pushed himself out of his seat and stepped around his desk, his boots like giants to Tobias as Simmons yanked the chair back onto its feet. He smiled his eager, yellow-toothed grin as he whispered in the soldier's ear. "They're not trophies, my boy. They're reminders. They're there to remind me of the coward Tobias Kennedy, who traded them over like cattle to save his son's life."

"You're absolutely fucking insane." The coward whispered.

"Don't act all high and mighty. You're the one who gave them to me, that makes _you_ a goddamn hypocrite, Tobias. I know where your loyalties lie, and if you don't cooperate, then everyone at your camp will know too. Now, are you going to be a good boy and answer my fucking questions?" His suggestion was nothing less than an evil gimmick, especially when the Devil whispered a hefty reward in his ear. "Hell, I'll even throw in the chance for you to see your son."

The soldier looked up at his captor, his eyes glazing over as he spoke the words, defeat evident in his broken voice. "Do I have even a choice?"

"You're goddamn right, you don't." Simmons replied vociferously, spit hitting Tobias's ear before the man's voice returned to a harsh whisper. He leaned in closer, his palm resting on Tobias's shoulder. "Just remember, if you lie to me, I'll beat you so _fucking_ hard, your face is going to look like humpty-dumpty after he jumped off the fuckin' Empire State Building, and then I'll do the same thing to your boy. Got it?"

"Yes, sir." Tobias gulped as Simmons returned to his seat and plopped his feet on the desk. A brief flash of _something_ crossed his face, as if sickened, before it finally settled in a frown.

"The boy… it seems kinda suspicious that he took out _five_ of my men all alone. He have a group at your camp?" Simmons asked, his tone returning to the suave baritone of a businessman and friend, with the threats he uttered completely forgotten in his mind, even though Tobias's face was still pale as a ghost.

The soldier grew silent for a second as he tried to decide whether or not he could say. He had betrayed his people and gave everything away to a maniac just so he could survive, but could he throw Dominic, someone he's taken a liking to, under the bus too? He had only just met the boy, but he liked him, and that woman… well… he didn't want her or the kid hurt. Frankly, after seeing the hideous sights in this psycho's office, he didn't want _anyone else_ getting hurt by this lunatic. However, his torturer's eyes narrowed as his grip tightened on the glass he had been drinking out of while waiting for Tobias's answer.

"He has a group, doesn't he? C'mon Toby, you've been a good boy so far, sort of. Answer the goddamn question." He pressed, the grip on his glass getting near its breaking point, his tone terrifying Tobias as the businessman tone shifted into something more threatening.

"W - We found him with a girl and a child." He stuttered, a tear breaking the dam and sliding down his cheek. He didn't have a choice, if he said nothing, Simmons would surely kill his son, and then him.

"So... you're saying that this teenage _fuck_ , has a _fucking_ girlfriend, _and_ a child, and _ **somehow**_ managed kill my men. Oh my God, that's so pathetic. I'd kill 'em myself if I could. In fact, I'll just go get their fucking bodies and cut them to pieces, feed them to our fucking dogs. Well, if we _had_ any. That'd show 'em for being such fucking pussies." He took in a deep breath, attempting to reel in his pent-up rage. "This girl and the child still at your camp?"

"They were still there when we left."

"Well then, time to go knock on your CO's proverbial door and get them. I hope the chick's hot, I haven't had a piece of ass in weeks." He licked his lips as he shot up out of his chair, the idea of hitting that young woman making him smile with unadulterated glee. "Marcus!" He called in a cheerful manner. The guard standing just beyond the door rushed in at the sound of his name. "Take our esteemed guest to see his son, will you? And get Nathan to bring in the kid, I want to speak to him before I go and fuck his girlfriend." Marcus nodded curtly before marching towards the chair and cutting the ties around Tobias's wrists and pulling him out of his chair and forcing him through the door.

"You keep bein' a good boy, Toby," Simmons called as Tobias was escorted away. "You've earned yourself dinner and a bed." Tobias's heart sank as he looked back to see Simmons toying with a small black knife. He didn't want to know the horrors he just unleashed onto Dominic's friends, but, based on the way Simmons was grinning, it wasn't going to be good.

 _Great fucking work, Tobias, you did it again._

* * *

It wasn't long before the sun had completely fallen underneath the horizon, leaving Molly and Steve in near total darkness as they trekked further and further into the abandoned city. Molly had no intention of stopping for the night, but when the growls of the dead started to reach their ears from somewhere in the veil of darkness, stopping became inevitable. The brick houses bordering the street were mere silhouettes in the distance, just small spaces here and there a bit darker or closer than the rest. If she studied them hard enough, she could make out a wall or a door, possibly even see a bit of moonlight reflecting off of a piece of glass, signaling it was indeed a building, several of the growling noises she heard emanated from these blackened structures. A few feet in front of the houses, a row of willow trees sat in immeasurable silence; thin outlines of darkness with sinister, wilting branches sticking out, few and far between. As they looked down, all they could see was the rocky texture of cement a few feet in front of them; the road meant nothing at night except the difference between a gravel and paved surface. A few seconds passed before a building that had no noise coming within earshot appeared on their right. The moon suddenly seemed to disappear as black clouds rolled over the horizon, leaving the entire street darker than a mother's womb. Molly flicked on her flashlight to inspect the building, it was a bookstore next to what appeared like a disemboweled pizza joint. Finally, with a huff and a couple glances, she gave in and jerked the boy she had in tow toward the building.

"There, that's our abode for the evening," she muttered as she unsheathed Hilda and tossed the flashlight to the boy, stepping toward the store, her eyes scanning the parking lot for any dangers that might be hidden within the abandoned cars littering the lot. The cars were few and far between, though the lot itself seemed to remind her of the size of a football stadium. They marched between the husks, checking for any bodies, dead or alive, or any useful items hidden inside. Steve held his shotgun tightly in his left hand as he followed the woman between the abandoned vehicles, each row bringing them closer and closer to their destination. The dark, inconspicuous front doors of the bookstore were like a victory to him; the ability to carry on his sassy comments for another day. For Molly, on the other end of the spectrum, this was only a stop: a means for survival, and a crossroad to getting to her friend.

"Really? A bookstore? Couldn't you of at least picked maybe, I don't know, a strip club?" Steve deadpanned, sparking the conversation.

"What? Do you expect there to be women there to dance for you?" She quipped, turning to give him a stern look that seemed completely useless in the darkness.

"I mean, _you_ could always dance for me." He offered, a sly smile emanating from him.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." She growled, turning back towards the parking lot.

"Also, you never know, maybe the zombies can dance. Not that I'm into that sort of thing, mind you. It's just a thought."

"You can't get any weirder." She hissed, keeping her mind on the task at hand.

"I can try-"

The conversation ended abruptly as they reached the glass door to the bookstore. She turned towards Steve, bringing a finger to her lips to shut him up, before slowly stepping up to the doors and peering inside; nothing. Only shelves of untouched books and tables going around the store. With a slight of hand, she began pulling the door open. She couldn't hear anything inside, but that didn't mean there _wasn't_ anything. Holding on to the top of her pickaxe and, with care, she banged Hilda against the glass a couple of times before listening again. Sure enough, there it was, the moans of a walker and the scratching sound of its feet dragging across the store's carpet. She turned back to Steve, "Hold the door."

He did as he was told, without remark, propping his shotgun against the brick wall as Molly took a step back and raised her weapon in the air, waiting for the walker to come into view. After a couple of seconds, it appeared at the door, leaving her only a moment to bring the pickaxe down on its skull and pierce its brain with a squishy splat, blood and brain matter splashing against the glass door and onto her clothes. Steve simply watched in awe as she yanked Hilda out, the corpse collapsing to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"Alright, hand me the flashlight, and move this thing for me, will ya?" Molly muttered, not even looking back at Steve as she took the flashlight from the boy, who grumbled under his breath as he let go of the door and dragged the body towards the parking lot; out of sight, out of mind.

The interior of the store was lined with maple bookcases, each filled with dozens and dozens of books; short stories, novellas, series, everything an author could dream of. She let out a short laugh; _looks like novels aren't exactly in high demand in the apocalypse_. To her left, a large counter stretched from one end of the store to the other, a cash register sitting directly in the middle, while various displays of paper weights and oddities lined the rest of the counter. Behind the counter, a door led into what appeared to be an office, and rows of shelves accumulated with coffee items; cups, a coffee maker, some coffee beans and powdered creamer. The smell soothed her nerves as she turned her attention back to the rows of bookcases, shining the light down each row for any sign of more walkers. The floor was strewn with fallen books and paper, some areas covered with dried blood and gore. Towards the back of the store she found another corpse splayed on the floor, most of its body eaten or torn off; it's head was ripped in half, leaving behind a mess of chewed brain matter and coagulated blood. She felt the acid in her stomach slowly rising up her esophagus, but she swallowed it back as she covered her nose, this new, familiar smell not so inviting. The store itself was clear of any real threats, so she returned to the front counters, where Steve awaited her return.

"All clear," she stated in a neutral tone as she approached him. "There's a corpse in the back, but it won't be coming back."

"That's good to know," Steve muttered, rolling his eyes while scrunching up his nose from the smell.

"Let's stay in that office in the back, probably will keep out the smell," She lifted the furnished plank of wood used as the entrance to behind the counter and scanned her light through the office, it looked clear too. "Too bad we don't have thicker coats," she muttered as she shivered slightly, the cold night air evident in the office.

"Don't worry, we can cuddle to keep warm," Steve winked as he followed her into the office.

"Seriously, do you want a pickaxe in the face?" She growled, her eyes shining with anger in the dim light.

"Not really, no. But, I had to try." He giggled, stepping back from the suspecting axe murderer of good jokes.

She grumbled several curse words under her breath before storming off into the office, leaving Steve alone to bring in the bag of supplies they had left at the entrance. He cautiously stepped back through the plank divider and into the center of the aisle, only noticing the shelves in front of him. Walking with one foot and tapping the ground with the other, he managed to find the glass door with his face, leaving a generous bump in his confidence. Searching the ground with his hands and feet, his right leg finally touched something solid, and he felt the bag with his hands. _Fucking finally, you invisible piece of shit._ Standing back up on his feet, his hand easily maneuvered the invisible world to find his shotgun, laid peacefully against the brick wall. With his heart beginning to flutter, he swung the door open and rushed back inside before anything could ambush him, and rammed his right side into the counter, cursing as the pain shot up his hip before successfully finding the plank again, and stepping carefully into the office, leaving the items beside the door on his way in.

Molly was sitting in a chair with her feet reclined on the desk, not making a sound before finally letting out a deep sigh as the racket that was Steve stumbled into the office and sat in the chair opposite her. Silence filled the air as Molly clicked off the flashlight to conserve its batteries, the sudden action causing Steve to jump slightly. The only thing he could hear in the darkness was her chair creaking as she swiveled in it.

"So... 'Dominic'... who exactly is this lucky bloke to you?" Steve croaked, breaking the silence between the two, feeling as if he was speaking to thin air in the pitch-black darkness. For a second, there was an awkward silence before Molly finally replied.

"I met him and Clementine a year back, in Savannah. We've been surviving together ever since." She stated, not missing a beat.

"You know, I actually knew a Dominic before all of this," Steve added, still curious about the man they were looking for. "He was rather… round, kind of an asshole really. But he put up with my shit, so he was probably my best friend." The famous silence once again overtook the cadence within the tiny room, only the mere squeaking of his chair and the faint, off-key melody of the walking dead singing somewhere in the distant night piercing his ears. "And… you don't care."

"Not really," she answered bluntly, eyeing the darkness and everything that wasn't the annoying bastard.

"He must be quite the man then to have you so devoted in saving him."

"I told him that I wouldn't take care of Clementine alone, and I meant it."

"Sure, sure." He shrugged instinctively, not really caring if she couldn't see him. "Well, it sounds to me that you just don't want to be alone." He continued. "You love him, and you're going to risk your life to save him. Seems stupid if you ask me."

"I didn't really ask for your opinion on it," Molly deadpanned, waving her foot around in the darkness in boredom.

"I mean, seriously? I'm obviously _way_ better looking than-" His sentence died off as a strange noise reached their ears. The faint melody Steve heard earlier became a wall of growls and moans, hitting them like a pile of bricks, coming from somewhere outside the store. Molly quickly rolled the chair back and grabbed Hilda, running towards the front door as Steve grabbed his shotgun blindly in the darkness. As he joined her at the entrance, they squinted to see thousands of walkers stumbling down the street not fifty feet away, the faint glow of moonlight breaking the storm clouds being the only method of identifying the monsters. While the majority of the beasts marched along the road like a crowd of drunken fools, at least twenty had broken off from the main group and were heading straight for the parking lot in front of them.

Steve sighed. "I _really_ regret waking up this morning."


	28. Dogs of War

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 3 - The Hunted**

 **Chapter 28: Dogs of War**

* * *

The darkness seemed to embrace Dominic in its cold tendrils as he struggled to slip his hands out of the rope bindings. He wriggled his fingers, searching for any loose section of the rope: pushing, pulling, even attempting to shove his fingers and bones between the bindings itself to no avail. With another shot, he tried maneuvering himself out of the binding, and the rope over his chest and off of his shoulders. His body screamed in agony, the rope burns like coals against his skin, but there was no use; he was trapped with his hands tied behind his back, leaving him no option but to sit and wait for his captors to return for him. His face burned with intense pain from the beatings, as if his captors were still there in the room, punching him in the cheek, the jaw, the side of his head. If he got out of this without a concussion, it'd be a goddamned miracle.

Only minutes ago, he heard Tobias being dragged out of his closet down the hallway, and past him. They were either executing them, or questioning them, he couldn't figure out which, but deep down he had a feeling that if they wanted them dead, they would have done it already. The bandits were nothing but sadistic monsters, but their leader was something else entirely; he had a temper, a short fuse attached to an atom bomb, yet his motives were shrouded in mystery behind his enigmatic façade. It was like the man was toying with them, with no real intention of killing either one of them. At least, he hoped that was the case, since he had no method of escape available to him, and his courage was starting to wear thin. His only hope at this point was if Molly had heard him over the radio and was on her way to rescue him. _God, that's a thought._ But, she couldn't possibly save him on her own. The only other option was persuading one of the bandits who hated their leader to let him go, in exchange for his help killing Simmons, no doubt, but he didn't trust Nathan, and everyone else seemed pretty damn loyal to the maniac.

He closed his eyes as he awaited his turn to be dragged out of his cell and taken to the ruthless dictator. His eyes were beginning to feel heavy, the events of the day starting to weigh down on him like a tremendous barbell in his conscience. So much had happened, and in such a short period of time, it almost felt like a dream: waking up to find it snowing; Clementine and Molly killing those bandits; Clementine getting shot; finding UGA; going out on this godforsaken run; and now, here he was, tied up in a closet with no escape. The images and flashbacks ran through his brain like pictures in a scrapbook of a man who adored other people's misfortune. It truly was the worst fucking day ever.

His mind began to clear as he mentally shuffled the scrapbook away. It was best not to dwell on all of that right now; he needed to be ready the instant they opened that door. A strange feeling washed over him as he breathed slower, and steadier breaths, knowing no good could come from his anxiety. Something deep within his brain sparked a nerve as his empty thoughts suddenly seemed to spring to life. His eyes clenched tighter as the thoughts drew a vivid image in his mind, quickly turning into what appeared to be some sort of lucid dream.

 _He stood in the hallway of the university, overlooking the plaza of the camp. Outside, the once melting snow was now back in full force, what appeared to be a blizzard poured its flaky ice at a pace that would rival even a snowstorm in northern Ohio. The winds outside blew fiercely with the snow; the cold, brutal weather making the trees around the university tremble at its might. Beneath him, ten figures stood in a circle; a man with a flashlight in one hand, and a pistol in the other, stood in the center of the group, shouting something at the top of his lungs, which was barely a whisper in Dominic's ears as his eyes fell upon the tiny figure cowering next to the man._

" _Come on out, kid, or the girl dies!" The voice roared with palpable anger, his pistol held firmly against the little figure's head. Dominic's face felt ice-cold as he squinted at the figures, unable to make out who they were in the blinding snowstorm, but the one thing he could see was the flashlight reflecting slightly off of the man's face. Bright red blisters covered half of his visage, as bright as the sun itself in the light. The tiny figure next to him wore a baseball cap over her short, black hair, the famous pigtails sticking out of the cap. Dominic's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the two in horror._

" _Get the others in position, I'm going down there." A strikingly familiar voice echoed beside him. He swiveled towards the voice and found that he was staring at himself, staring out of the same window. His clothes weren't the same as the ones_ _ **he**_ _was wearing. This other Dominic, 'Vision Dominic', wore military fatigues over his shirt, contrasting his current grey plaid shirt and green hoodie and jeans he was currently wearing. Giving several glances and breathless gasps, Dominic could feel the color leave his already pale skin while he stared at himself gazing out the window. His face had a memoir of a thousand words for shock etched into it as he watched Clementine tremble under the maniac holding her. But within a few moments, his eyes began to shrink and his mouth stiffened while he uttered the words to the inanimate beings. After what seemed like eternity, he turned away from himself, and with another violent punch in the gut, he watched as Molly came up behind Vision Dominic, biting her lip as she seemingly struggled to figure out what to do or say. To the right of Vision Dominic, a man, a soldier based on the fatigues, stood looking at the young man, as if waiting for instruction._

" _He'll kill you if you go down there, Dom," Molly's voiced, the tension and nervousness that filled the air reflected in her voice._

" _I don't have a choice," The cracking voice of Vision Dominic managed to croak out as they embraced for a moment. "I have you watching my back, so I've got nothing to worry about." He muttered, squeezing her for a moment before releasing her._

" _You're a fucking idiot," she managed to say before Dominic watched himself kiss her, pulling away after a few seconds and fast-walking towards the stairs down the hall. Dominic attempted to run after himself, only for the world to fade away around him, like a polaroid melting in the summer heat before returning to total darkness._

His eyes fluttered open, his heart thumping violently in his chest as he struggled to breathe. The darkness of the closet was back, replacing the smell of gunpowder and snow that had invaded his senses mere second before. _W - Was that another vision?_ He couldn't wrap his head around this idea. The last two times he had these visions, he was passed out, comatose, but this time, it was different, as if he could control it, and even stranger, it felt more like some sort of out-of-body experience. His curiosity had hit pique levels. _Could I do that again?_ He closed his eyes again as he restarted the steady in and out rhythm of his breathing, and sure enough, another image quickly exploded in his mind.

 _The snow had stopped falling now, although the ground was laden with the white powder, almost four or five inches thick. A train track laid barren in front of him, thickets of brush and trees surrounding the railway like impassable walls. He could see someone standing just ahead of him, the exact same height as himself. Two figures flanked him on either side, one of them standing barely at the man's stomach, while the other, a skinny woman based on her thin stomach and curves, stood at around the same height. They were all staring at something wedged in the snow._

 _The object in question sat abandoned next to a metal sign that had some wording scribbled on it, but was too far away in the darkness for Dominic to make out. However, the solid black object sat just at the precipice between the metal track and the sign. He watched himself lean over and pick it up, brushing the powder off and examining the device; it was a radio, with pink flower stickers placed all over it, some nearly faded and peeling while others still giving off a lively hue._

 _He heard himself utter a single word, as gentle as a whisper, his voice audibly deeper with sadness. "Shit."_

The vision evaded his mind as his head snapped up. Footsteps echoed down the hallway. It seemed his heart was beating against his chest at a million miles per hour as the image dissipated into the deepest recesses of his brain. _That radio, that was Clem's old radio! Who could've had it other than-_ The answer hit him like an unstoppable train. The only people who could've possibly have had that radio (let alone care about it enough to hold onto it rather than turning it into scrap metal) was Lee, Carley, Christa, Kenny, and Omid. **If** they were still alive. _They have to be... Clem was right the whole time..._

The footsteps grew louder and louder like booming thunder beyond the wall until they abruptly stopped at the metal door Dominic was trapped behind. Subconsciously doing the only thing his body could think to do to defend himself from the horrors Simmons may unleash on him, he pushed himself back against the freezing wall with his feet as the door creaked open to reveal the face of Nathan, his facial features obscured by the complete darkness of the room.

"He wants to talk to you, before he decides what he wants to do with you," the man whispered as he entered the room, kneeling next to Dominic and gently peeling the tape off of the boy's mouth. He let out a short cry of pain as the adhesive pulled at his skin, the little five-o'clock whiskers being taken out of his recently-shaven face. "Just don't provoke him, and he might let you live," Nathan mouthed while rolling up the used tape, mindlessly throwing it on the ground.

"That's a fucking shot in the dark," Dominic breathed, his voice just as dry as his mouth was. His mind was still hard-set on his new visions, but he couldn't show any emotion in front of these bandits, especially Nathan, who could just as easily be spying on him for the insane dictator.

"Stranger things have happened," Nathan muttered as he untied the binds around the boy's legs. "We've accepted murderers into our group before. Adrian was one of them, and look where he ended up, second in command." He let out a heavy sigh as he helped the boy to his feet. "Just trust me, okay? Answer all of his questions, cooperate with everything he says, and hopefully that'll buy you some time."

"It still doesn't make any sense why you would want to help me anyway... I killed your friend." Dominic muttered, his face stiff while he caught his balance. He squinted as the light emitting from the opening of the closet door came into focus; coming out was like leaving the dark, horrid embodiment of an ancient cave, entering back into civilization, well, a barbaric one, at least.

"The old saying still applies," Nathan laughed dryly, holding the man steady while they walked. "'The enemy of my enemy'."

He dropped the conversation as the two left the closet, with two other bandits coming out of nowhere from the side and grabbing Dominic by the arms, and nearly dragging him down the hallway. At the end of the hall stood the evil mastermind behind the operation. His hands were gently resting behind his back, gearing up for the event to come. He smiled as he saw his prisoner, his eyes beaming at the work his men had done to the young lad.

Dominic heaved as he was forced down the hallway, his feet trying to keep up with the bandits, yet still not fully awake to walk at a brisk pace. The lights from the ceiling drowned his eyes, leaving them blurry and unable to make out the detail they once could. As they turned another corner, his eyes slowly filtered out the light, the barren hallways coming into a sharper focus. The figure in front of him was immediately recognizable, even if he didn't have his glasses. It didn't take a genius to see the monster in the room, the rugged appearance and the body language alone gave it away. Simmons turned down another hallway, and walked in front of them; Dominic with the two bandits forcing him to walk towards the office just behind their leader, while Nathan followed a short distance away.

"Damn, look at you. All covered in bruises and shit. Nathan, you weren't rough with him were you?" Simmons asked, not turning to look at his captive, his strides steady and casual towards his office.

"No, sir. That was Marcus." Nathan replied, following the group.

"Figures," Simmons laughed, shaking his head. "He gets a bit _overzealous_ sometimes."

" _That's an understatement_ ," Dominic could just about hear Nathan whisper under his breath, which seemed to go unnoticed by the madman ahead of them.

Simmons stopped in front of the old principal's office, also known as, well, _his_ office. He opened the door and stepped inside, sitting in his chair and spinning around to face his prisoner. With a nod of approval, the bandits marched in and slammed Dominic into the chair, raising his arms and placing them behind the chair, then slipping the familiar binds around his arms and legs, trapping him to the confinements of the chair. Without a word, the two bandits left the room, leaving only Simmons, Nathan, and Dominic in the office.

Simmons sighed as he regarded Dominic, scratching at his eye briefly before clearing his throat. "I swear, we're usually not so rough with prisoners, but you must understand the predicament I'm in." He raised his eyebrows while he gave an understanding look at Dominic, who returned a malicious glare at his captor. Ignoring the rudeness, Simmons turned to Nathan, the business-like smile and bright eyes still plastered on his face as he asked, "Nathan, please leave us."

"Yes, sir." The man immediately nodded his head, holding his breath before slowly turning around and heading for the door. His head bowed as he closed the door behind him, eternity going by before the resounding click echoed in the space.

Dominic didn't bat an eye before getting the bullshit out of the stables. "Alright, then. What do you want from me?"

Simmons clapped his hands enthusiastically, a yellowed grin meeting Dominic's gaze as the leader relaxed into his chair. "Ah, you're a 'to the point' kind of guy, aren't ya? I can respect that. What makes you think I want anything from you?" He spoke confidently, before raising an eyebrow. "I mean, look at me, do I look desperate for shit? I want something, I get it, simple as that."

"Well, you haven't killed me yet, so..." Dominic deadpanned, shrugging his shoulders. "Usually this is the part where you the prisoner begs for his life, right? Besides the _rude_ introductions, and being thrown in a closet, you haven't executed me yet. Makes me wonder why."

"Maybe I just like fucking with you." Silence poisoned the room while they stared at each other, Simmons's posture relaxing slightly while Dominic stared with a raised eyebrow, both anger and hesitance emanating from his eyes, like an open book for the dictator to read. The man's smile fell into a scowl as he leaned forward, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the desk. "Stop staring at me like that, it's creeping me the fuck out." He hissed, his tone slowly losing its suave charm as he narrowed his eyes.

Dominic didn't answer at first, instead focusing his eyes on the desk in front of him. The best thing to do was not poke the bear, as it were, if he was going to make it out of this alive. So many retorts bubble to the surface in his mind, none with a _good_ ending. As the man's eyes bore into him, he glances towards the shelves standing just behind his desk, the sight sending chills down his spine. It was a feeling he'd never felt before, the feeling of pure dread concentrated into a single, damn near injectable, dose. "Uh, w - what the fuck?" He muttered, staring at the bowls of heads on the shelf behind Simmons's desk. Flabbergasted, Simmons spun around and followed Dominic's gaze, seeing what the boy was going on about. He belched out in hideous laughter before returning his gaze to Dominic.

"Oh yeah, those. That's good ole Toby's work right there. He didn't cut them off, mind you, that was us, but, eheh, he's the one that gave them to me. That's one fucking loyal cunt right there, lemme tell ya."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Dominic hissed, narrowing his eyes as the bastard rambled on like an unstoppable train.

"You're little buddy answers to me, my friend. I tell him 'get me bitches to eat', and he does it. That sometimes can be both figuratively and literally, if you know what I mean. Depends on how hot they are. That's a, uh, _poor_ analogy, but you get the point. They're like my trophies, ya know, if I had any to begin with. I guess this is the part where I should probably mention that we're cannibals too? Not that it's by _choice_ , but, y'know, you do what you gotta do to survive." He explained, rolling his eyes while he ranted. Dominic's eyes grew wider with each passing second as he realized what he meant. _I knew it._ He finally found out the darker side to this man, the fishiness in his friendly demeanor. _That fucking bastard._

"Y - You're fucking crazy!"

"Now that's no way to talk to your host. Do I need to remind you of what 'manners' are, or were your parents just some uncivilized fucks?" The suave attitude was completely gone now, replaced by a hostile glare and white-knuckled fists. Dominic couldn't tell if he was putting on a show, or legitimately pissed at the accusation.

"So, that's why I'm alive, then? Keep the meat fresh, so it doesn't spoil? I mean, I - I can tell you with _relative_ certainty that I wouldn't taste that great." He didn't seem to be winning any brownie points with the sarcasm, but it was better than the alternative. _Perhaps now is the time to shut the fuck up, Dominic. No, I can't let him scare me into submission, that's how he wins. Fine, get yourself killed._ He shook the mental argument away as the shock value of the 'trophies' settled in the back of his mind, his attention drawing back to the sadistic fuck who had him in chains.

"Well, no honestly. I was going to gloat about your friend Toby spilling _his_ guts about your girlfriend and the little girl, and about how I was gonna ram your girlfriend so hard, she won't be able to sit pretty for weeks, but she must be pretty fucking ugly if she fucks you."

That had Dominic's blood run cold. _He knows about them. Shit. What do we do here?! J - Just shut up, and let me think!_ He kept his mouth shut as he stared down the man before him, who had a wide grin on his face, as if expecting the threat to elicit _some_ sort of response from his prisoner.

"There we go, there's that look of hatred I noticed before. You really know how to mean mug someone, kid. Good, don't let go of that. Might come in handy for you, _some day_." When Dominic didn't answer, he relaxed back into his chair, his eyebrow raising at the man's behavior. "Shit, kid. You gonna say somethin', or just stare at me all night? I was just kidding about the whole 'ramming your girlfriend' thing. Jesus."

"Don't talk about her," Dominic grunted, his voice as cold as ice. The smile on Simmons' face widened ever so slightly, as if the act of defiance alone brought joy to him.

"Oooh, I think I hit a nerve there, didn't I? To be honest, kid, I didn't really think you were the 'hopeless romantic' type." He stifled a laugh as he leaned forward, examining Dominic's face with a look of feigned scrutiny. "I mean, _maybe_. Doubt you had a lot of chicks on your dick when you were in school, huh? Everyone thought you were too ugly, so you just waited for 'the one' to show up, and they never did."

"Is there a point to this, or are you just going to ramble for the rest of the night?" Anger still burned within Dominic's pupils, but he was holding it in the best he could. Any wrong move now could be fatal, for all of them.

"I'm having a lot of fun, and that's all that really matters, right? Fuck this whole interview thing, let's just talk about how shitty your life was, _that's_ a lot more interesting." The man flashed him another yellow-toothed smile before it fell into a half-frown. "Can't you see what I'm doing here, kid? I'm trying to make conversation, get to know you. I know what's going through that thick skull 'a yours." When Dominic didn't answer, he feigned a high-pitched tone.  
"' _Oh, when is he going to kill me? Is he going to eat me piece by piece? Oh dear, he's a monster!'_ Well, here's a spoiler for you: I'm not going to kill you!" That elicited a scoff from Dominic, the absurdity of the madman's words making it difficult to take him seriously, even though, deep down, a part of him was still shaking with fear. "To be honest, you're worth more to me alive than dead, even with your whole 'tough guy with a sarcastic flair' bullshit. Y'see, I need replacements for the men _ **you**_ killed, and you'll fit the bill just fine." He leaned back against his chair, twiddling his thumbs with his lips perched up in a smile, eagerly waiting for the boy's retortion.

The room fell into an awkward silence as the two men stared each other down, a smile and a scowl, complete opposites. Simmons tapped his finger on the desk lightly, the sound briefly forcing Dominic's eyes to fall to the offending noisemaker before returning to the man staring back at him.

"No."

The man's smile faded away in an instant, as if Dominic had suggested that he could shove a dick up his ass. "Okay, let me put this simply, so even your tiny _brain_ can understand it," he growled, anger evident in his voice as he leaned over the desk slowly. "This isn't some fucking invitation, you don't get a choice. Everything you have is mine, you understand? Your girlfriend's mine, you're mine, your sister or daughter or _whatever the fuck she is_ , is mine. That fucking camp's mine. From this day forth, you'll gonna do what I say, with a fucking 'yes, sir' and a 'can-do' attitude. You'll either fall in line, or feed the rest of us. Got it?" He squinted at the boy as he finished his rant, as if he were waiting to see what path Dominic would choose to take; a bandit, or lunch meat. It was ultimately in the boy's hands now. "And if you so much as _think_ about escaping or betraying me, I will put you down like a fucking rabid dog." Simmons added, removing the third road the boy could've travelled out of the picture. It was a gun Simmons was holding against him, one that only Dominic could pull the trigger, but Simmons was holding the hammer. " **NATHAN!** " He bellowed, averting his eyes from Dominic for a moment and fixing them on the door, a more pleasant facial expression melting over his face while the soldier stepped into the room, hands at his sides and awaiting instruction.

"Yes, sir?" Nathan asked, now standing beside Dominic, his eyes glued to his leader.

"Take the boy to his new quarters, can't have a member of the Hunters fucking hyperventilating in a closet." Simmons commanded, smirking while he stood up from his chair.

Dominic stared Simmons down as Nathan grabbed a hold of his arm, his fingers laced around the rope holding him down.

Simmons stepped slowly around his desk, each step reverberating against the walls and echoing louder into their ear canals. Simmons stopped directly in front of Dominic and looked down at him, his smile growing with every question. "So, how're you gonna play this, whatever-the-fuck-your-name-is? It's gonna be dinner time soon, if you so decide to not take this generous fucking offer I'm handing you."

"It's Dominic," the boy replied in a stern tone, glaring in Simmons' direction. The signature smile widened across the leader's face as he leaned towards Dominic, meeting him face to face.

"Dominic? Sounds like a boring fucking name to me." He grabbed the boy's knife from the table behind him as he took a step back, running a finger down the sharp blade before turning towards the boy, holding it against his throat. "How about 'Fucktard'? Seems fitting, right? You're pretty fucking retarded, alright. Not wanting to accept such a lucrative deal just to protect your _pride_. Listen, kid, you're not leaving this room alive unless you say yes, so how about we start with that, hmm?"

"Sir, I-" Nathan started, but the sinister glare Simmons flashed him zipped his lips like a sowing machine.

"Shut the fuck up, Nathan. Let Fucktard fight his own battles." He seethed, his tone making Nathan question if _he_ was next on his shit list.

"Fuck you," the boy growled, maintaining eye contact with the psychotic leader as the cold steel pressed into his neck. Nathan's eyes grew wider as Simmons bared his teeth, pulling the knife away and slashing it over Dominic's cheek, a smooth wave of blood seeping down his face.

"Is your skull _that_ fucking dense, kid?! I give you an offer on a _silver_ _ **fucking**_ _platter_ , and you're just gonna piss it away?! One more fucking chance, Fucktard! If the next words out of your mouth aren't 'Please, let me join you, sir', I swear to fucking God, I'll stick this thing straight into your throat!"

Dominic gasped as the pain coursed through his face, his left hand covered in blood as he tried to shield his face from the man. He gave a manic glance in Nathan's direction before he took a deep breath and returned his fixed gaze to the mad dictator in front of him. His brain went haywire as the blood dripped down his cheek and onto his shirt. He could feel himself losing control, as his body wanted to lash out and strangle the dictator to death, but his mind wouldn't let him do it, even if his hands weren't bound behind him, for fear of death was a much stronger instinct than the need for revenge. Within a few short moments, he was able to tie the majority of his brain's wires back into place, and return the hateful glare towards Simmons. With another deep breath and a tear mixing with the blood on his face, he finally chose his path, his voice reeking with defeat. "P - Please, let me join you, _sir_."

"Good, now go lick your wounds and cry, or somethin'. Nathan, patch Fucktard up, don't want him bleeding all over my floor." And, with the flick of his wrists, Nathan unlaced the rope from around Dominic's legs before forcing him out of the chair. The silence filled the air with a sickening ambiance as Dominic averted his gaze from the man still staring him down, as if looking in his direction would result in the aforementioned 'stab to the throat' to occur.

"Now, are you gonna be a good boy, Fucktard?" Simmons purred, holding the blade just close enough to Dominic that the boy could see it in his peripheral vision.

"Yes. Sir." The words were forced, half faltering with fear, and half fueled by anger.

"Good, now get out of my fucking sight." Simmons ordered as Nathan turned away and half-shoved Dominic towards the door.


	29. No Escape

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 3 - The Hunted**

 **Chapter 29: No Escape**

* * *

"If I'm gonna die like this, can you at least flash me or something?" Steve's voice had a robotic vibrato to it as Molly stared in awe at the horde in front of them. They were heading directly towards Zone 2, right where she was meant to be going. Her mind raced at a thousand miles per second as she tried to figure out what to do.

They could barely see in the darkness, her vision was limited by the dim moonlight peeking out over the city between the splotches of clouds overhead. Several of the undead were heading straight for them, whether it be because they had sniffed them out, or just out of deadened curiosity, there was no way they could stay in the bookstore for the night. That option was completely trampled and stomped into oblivion by the endless march of a herd the size of which she has never seen. They stumbled between the cars, some of them running into them and groaning as they went around. Others formed small pockets in the walkways and center of the parking lot, all headed for the same double doors. They were going to have to flee, but that didn't necessarily mean they were fucked, no, in fact, it was actually an opportunity, one that she wouldn't dare refuse.

These lamebrained geeks were about to stumble upon her enemy's camp, providing the perfect distraction for her and Steve to sneak into their camp and rescue Dominic. She had literally struck gold.

"Hey! Molly?!" Steve's annoying voice brought her back to reality as the first geeks stumbled past all of the distant cars in the parking lot, their white eyes all turning and staring in their direction as they growled with renewed interest at the boy's sudden outburst. "Fuck sake, woman, I don't want to stand here all night and get eaten!"

"Come on, I've got an idea!" She hissed as they ran back inside the store, grabbing their things before shoving the back door open.

* * *

The lockers on either side of the hallway blurred into a repeating, senseless pattern as Dominic and Nathan strolled past them. Dominic, his hands still tied behind his back, walked in front of Nathan, who held his rifle at hip-level. The omnipresent lockers seemed to create this pattern, Dominic thought, and with every few long strides, a gap would open. Within the gap, a large window would appear, revealing the buildings and tents outside the camp. Around the perimeter of the fence, he could see the charred remains of the school's football stadium, the majority of the once-green field now a barren black, with splotches of snow sticking to the ashes. What used to be the bleachers surrounding the stadium were piles of rust and ashes, a hell no one would want to sit on. It seemed that most of the buildings surrounding the school were torched early on, even some of the nearby cookie-cutter homes were mere remains of some scorched-earth battle plan.

Resting in front of the school, stood a famous tree. From inside, its many branches could be seen from the windows, with little glimpses of different branches of various lengths. Dominic stared through the windows, and with each passing pane of glass, the center of the tree would get closer to him, as if the snapshots were pulling him closer. In every window, the limbs would grow thicker, and the number of branches would increase, until he passed a peculiar window with the trunk resting against the bricks, with only a sliver of moonlight visible between the branches.

Dominic glanced out of these windows, and cringed with deep envy burning in his stomach; he wanted out of here. He burned to break free of his ties, to escape this hellhole and return to UGA, and escape the city with Clementine and Molly, but, that wasn't meant to be. For all he knew, Molly could be captured next, and she probably won't have a Nathan to keep her quiet, and then she'd be dead. She would be decapitated and eaten, and he wouldn't be there to save her. But, alas, he was just like the tree; stuck, beyond its control. Unable to explore, spread its seed, or, for Dominic's case, save his family.

"Good job back there, for, you know, cooperating," Nathan mumbled from behind Dominic, simmering the boiling pot of the boy's mind to a lukewarm calm, and bringing him back to reality.

"T - The fucker didn't really give me a choice," Dominic muttered, stuttering his words as the sudden rush of pain emulating from his face caused him to wince. He glanced down, noticing the small crimson drops had apparently dripped down his cheek, rubbing against his nerves as well as his jacket.

"I'd say he let you off the hook easier than he would've done for anyone else. From the bits and pieces I heard, I was half-expecting him to put a bullet in your brain right there and then," Nathan admitted before quickly checking behind to make sure no one was following them.

"Oh yeah, I'm really appreciative of that, especially since, you know, I've got this cut on my cheek now. I mean, he _reaaaally_ let me off the hook." Dominic groaned, the blood gently ruining his hoodie with their crimson flows.

Nathan stopped abruptly before taking a second to look out the window. His eyes softened as he stared beyond the glass, and his voice a hushed melancholy. "He's done worse, as you can probably imagine."

"Oh, yeah. Totally. Like chopping peoples' heads off and shoving them into bowls isn't already on the list of 'Things not to Do in the Apocalypse'."

"That's a completely different story," Nathan reminded him, turning back to the boy in his custody.

"Well fuck him, and fuck you if you condone it." Dominic hissed, his tone sliding into threatening territory as he thought about the possibility.

"Whoa, I - I never said I condoned the shit he's done!" Nathan stuttered, shocked at the accusation. "I thought I made that pretty clear from the get go. _Trust_ me, I want to help you escape, but I _can't_. We'll all be killed and eaten if we so much as _**THINK**_ about escaping." Dominic glared at the back of Nathan's head as the older man returned to staring out the window, taking in the burned out husks in the distance. He sighed before turning back to the boy. "Listen, just keep your head down for a while, do what you're told, and when the opportunity presents itself, I'll help you and Tobias escape. Deal?" Dominic visibly narrowed his eyes at the mention of Tobias' name. If everything Simmons said about those heads in his office were true, then Tobias was a traitor. There was no way in hell he could trust someone who had given men, women, and children over to cannibalistic monsters.

Dominic sighed, muttering as they continued their trek. "As long as the subclause for this deal doesn't include being betrayed, dismembered, eaten alive, or otherwise injured in some fucked up way, then yes, you've got a deal."

* * *

Everything seemed to be falling into place for Simmons: their food farm of UGA maintained themselves in relative safety, lifting the burden of making sure his livestock didn't end up eaten by the metaphorical wolves off of his shoulders, and with night falling, they were going to be in need of meals for the evening festivities, so they were going to have to butcher _someone_ for fresh meat; Simmons mentally filed that task in the back of his brain for later doing before moving on to the next order of business. The fence seemed to be holding up pretty well despite the increased biter activity over the past couple of hours; it seemed like there were more biters roaming around than usual since that morning, as if some Great Migration happened to be passing through the quaint college town of Athens like some sort of macabre death march. That worried Simmons a bit, it made getting around a bit more difficult and if the biters somehow found their way to his lovely camp, they would have very little time to pack their shit up in the truck and get the hell out of Dodge, but that was just pointless worrying, a task for another time; he had enough men to deal with any manageable threat that came his way anyway.

He swiveled around a bit in his chair before leaning back and kicking his feet onto his desk, letting the unneeded worries drift away; the silence of his office like a brief pause in reality as he rested from commanding his men. All the while, the sight of JJ's head staring back at him with dead, black eyes, had him wrinkle his nose. He sucked in a deep breath as he took in the details of the detached cranium, from the grey, nearly green skin to the stark white of the bone hidden underneath the thin sheath of fibre covering it. His mouth was a permanent tattoo of a hopeless plea for more time, the expression plastered to his face revealing the pain his men had caused him, right down to his very last moment.

JJ had been a thorn in his side, and his pussy brother managed to escape death despite being shot in the leg. _I guess he wasn't as big of a pussy as I thought._ The whole situation surrounding Terminus had gotten out of control as quickly as they had conquered the place. The survivors had fought back despite his intentions of breaking their spirits, eventually ousting them from their home and capturing one of Simmons's trusted advisors in the process: Dennis.

His heart regretted going there in the first place, especially after everything they'd done to the survivors, which pulled at the miniscule fraction of morality left in his mind. Pushing them only caused the survivors to fight back more, rather than bend the knee. This was the only thing he truly regretted; his men needed to be relieved of their frustrations before they took it out on each other, it was simply how the world worked now: you conquer, you reap the reward; the spoils of war as it were. He didn't care about the moral implications of this choice as long as it benefited his group as a whole, because happy survivors were productive survivors, and if he was to lead them to greatness, that would be the only way he could achieve it. Morals be damned. He'd kill, rape, and pillage his way to finding somewhere safe from the dead before he let it all fall apart.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as a rough voice emanated from the door, the visions of the past dissipating as the sight of the severed head came back into focus. With a minor jerk of his neck, he focused on reality, his eyes leaving the grey mess on his shelf to see Marcus standing at the door with a look of confusion on his face.

"You alright Boss?" He questioned, his voice nearly quivering, something Simmons had never heard from him before.

"Fine, just thinking about shit," Simmons muttered simply as he gave one last glare towards JJ. "The damned thing's starting to leak it's fucking stench from the bowl." He sighed. "It'll be mush soon enough anyway, should just get rid of it."

Marcus shifted uncomfortably where he stood, glancing up at Simmons, careful to avoid eye contact before stepping closer and speaking again. "The guys are starting to hear Biters all around the camp."

Simmons let out an exaggerated sigh before taking his feet off of the desk, his annoyed temper sounding from the sound of his boots colliding with the floor. Marcus retreated a few steps as Simmons rolled his eyes, his heart beating faster while he attempted to stand. Simmons rose from his chair, taking another deep breath before spitting commands. "Get the men in their positions then, if they're drawn towards here we don't have much time to lure them away. Shut down the generators while you're at it." He sighed as he plopped back into his chair. "Get it done."

"Yes sir." Marcus stammered, hurrying towards the exit.

* * *

Their breathing synced while they sprinted down the barren street, where only husks of SUVs and sedans marked their progress through the dark night. The chorus of the undead continued to play at a soft tempo in their ears, getting louder with each passing second as Molly's eyes barely made out the black silhouette of a fence a mere thirty feet ahead of them. The air surrounding them felt like a punch to their gut with bursts of freezing wind pushing them back, and sending burning chills down their throats as they ran for their life.

"There!" Molly hissed, reaching Steve as her barely audible whisper reached his ears from between her labored breaths. Small puffs of steam swirled away from their lips in the twilight as her finger pointed ahead of her, aiming toward the fence.

"Fucking finally!" Steve gasped, slowing down to a fast walk as they approached the intersection. The intersecting street ahead of them was devoid of the familiar husks, instead it sat empty, clearly cleaned out by the Hunters to use as a thoroughfare. The fence itself ran along the perimeter of a mid-sized High School, miniscule embers of light emanating from the windows of the building.

They walked the perimeter of the fence as the moans grew louder behind them like a not so distant riot closing in on the walls of the rich and powerful, growing closer with each passing minute. They continued to trek through the snow, catching their breaths while looking for a way in, the embers of light reflecting off the windows of brick houses being their only light in the dark. Hung over the side of the fence, a thick fabric obscured the inside of the camp, leaving the duo blind for a point of entry. After an eternity of running in circles, they found a break in the fabric; Molly peeked through while Steve tapped his foot lightly in the snow, his breaths quick as he stared behind them, the incoming riot sending more chills down his spine.

"What do you see?" He whispered, turning away for a moment from the incoming horde to look over her shoulder.

"There's a shitton of gas cans just piled up by some tool shed," she muttered before turning her attention to the building itself, the school very apparent in the night despite the darkness. What puzzled her the most was that she could see faint lights positioned throughout the building, as if the school's emergency lights were still on. _They could be using a generator to power the lights, maybe even solar panels._ She mused to herself before a movement caught her eye. Two figures were moving through the second story hallway, stopping every couple of seconds as if they were having some sort of conversation, and looking out at the large tree sprouting up next to the wall. She could barely make out their faces in the dim light: one was taller and had long brown hair, while the other was a couple inches shorter, with a shaved head. She squinted to make out more details, but as soon as she did, Steve nudged her shoulder.

"I hope you've got a plan on how the fuck we're getting in there, this thing's got barbed wire all over it."

"I always come prepared," she replied simply as she pulled off her backpack and reached into it, pulling out a pair of shining wire cutters.

"Oh, that works I guess." Steve sighed, his head subconsciously turning to one side while she began snipping away at the fence, the snaps echoing into the snow-laden street, where only the riot could hear their whispers.

* * *

"I've missed you, Daddy." Jeremy mumbled before setting his toy army men on the wooden table, his innocent, beaming eyes fixated on his father, who gazed down at his seven year old in both relief and apprehension.

"I've missed you too, little buddy." Tobias choked, watching his flesh and blood place the plastic toys on the surface. He could see the reflection of himself in the boy's face; the light, blue eyes beaming at whatever they set on. His brown hair was growing again, just like his did back before he enlisted; thick and wavy, but not too curly. The muscles in his face were beginning to show in his son's cheeks, even with the baby fat still strong in his tiny body. He could see, ten years from now, his son would resemble him in almost every way; the skinny physique, muscular upper body (if he worked at it), the petite nose; all that showed from the boy's mother was her emotions.

Jeremy was already a shy child, always being so nice to the soldiers at UGA and even now with the bandits. He never got into fights with the other kids, even if one of them tried pushing him around. He stayed away from the boys who gave him a hard time, especially Tom and his band of misfits. Tobias recalled, in the early days of the camp, how Tom and his dickhead friends had shoved Jeremy to the ground and stole his prized Darth Vader action figure, only to have Jeremy burst into a weekly meeting crying and babbling on about how some 'big kids' had pushed him down and stole his toy. Keeping as much composure as a father could hearing about his son being hurt, he had met with the kids' parents, and Tom had given up the action figure (with a few 'fuck's and 'no fun's thrown behind his back), only to have the toy come up missing the very next day. When confronted about it (and his newfound black eye), Jeremy shrugged and said he had 'dropped it' somewhere.

Now, years later, and worlds apart from the one they knew before, they sat together, like most mid-afternoons, enjoying some quality time together. Jeremy would be playing with the army men as Tobias stepped in, only to throw them to the floor and attack his father with hugs. Tobias would lead his son back to where he was playing, and help him pick up his Army Rangers and gunmen before tending to their evening meal.

After the Hunters took Zone 2 by force, things changed. Fear creeped down their spines back at UGA, but Tobias knew that they were the last line of defense for these civilians, and the Hunters knew that too. A month ago, they attacked the camp and took several people hostage, including his son. Tobias was sent with a squad to rescue them at all cost, but preferably negotiate their release. Simmons agreed to his terms, even throwing in a cease fire between the groups, but at a cost. Tobias would give them any person they chose from the camp in exchange for ceasing hostilities, and after Tobias refused, Jeremy's safety. Simmons had him by the balls, and he knew it, so Tobias had no other choice but to do as he was told to keep his son alive. Now, he had no intention of following Simmons's orders anymore; he would get his son out of here and they would kill every last one of these fuckers, and with Dominic's help, he was convinced he could achieve that. A sudden thought fluttered through his mind, forcing his attention back to his son, who continued to play with the toy soldiers lying on the chair in front of him.

"Have they been feeding you?" Tobias croaked, taking his mind off the flashbacks and photographic memories that plagued his mind and heart.

"Yes, sir." Jeremy muttered, twiddling his fingers while he reluctantly answered his father's questions.

"Anything... weird?" Tobias nudged, his eyes widening a bit between his words.

"Nathan says the only thing we have is the Mystery Meat Pies and canned fruit, says that they will help me grow big and strong. They taste funny though."

Tobias's stomach churned like a raging furnace as he tried to keep his fingers from balling into fists, a flash of a frown moving across his face before he finally settled for that of feigned satisfaction. His son seemed to have noticed, as his baby blue eyes shifted in his direction as Tobias tried to formulate something reassuring to say. "Don't worry buddy, you won't have to eat them anymore. You'll be coming home with me, and when you get back, you can have all the twinkies and candies you can eat. Then I'll cook you up something special for dinner, how's that sound?"

"Ooooh!" Jeremy gasped, his eyes getting big as the thought of candy filled his innocent mind, the innocent little mind that Tobias would never _ever_ reveal what the boy had really eaten to. As Tobias opened his mouth to ask another question, he heard faint murmuring outside the nurse's office they were in. He stood up, instinctively getting in front of his son, when he saw Nathan and the guard conversing outside. He couldn't make out any words, but within moments, the guard left his place, and Nathan opened the door and stepped in, with Dominic in tow. Who, to Tobias's dismay, was bleeding from a cut in his right cheek where a knife had slashed him mere moments before.

"Whoa, what happened?" Tobias uttered the words without thinking and standing up, about to head over towards the injured man, only to receive an annoyed look from the boy as Nathan fished out some medical supplies from a cabinet on the other side of the room.

The room the group was in resembled that of an old school nurse's office, decorated by the overly white and sterile walls, counters, floors, and tables. Several pill bottles with the labels scratched off of them were placed in neat rows on shelves, with black ink or a taped piece of paper with words scribbled on them replacing their labels as needed. A stack of towels lay beside the sink to the left of the door. Closer to the center of the room, operating tables had been drug in, a faint stain covering them with a dull crimson sheen. Tobias tried desperately not to think about the things these cannibals have done with those tables, for fear of losing his mind. A few of them were more stained than others. Knives, also stained red, some of them still dripping with fluid, sat in a neat row on the far counter next to the massive window overlooking the plaza below. Soldiers were put down earlier today, Tobias thought, his mind going back to the men Dominic and him were with on the run before shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the people in front of him, mentally pushing the horrific thoughts away.

"Your friends are assholes," Dominic muttered, leaning against the counter adjacent to the door as Nathan pulled out a tube of antibiotic ointment from one of the many cabinets over the sink. He gave an annoyed look to the boy, who merely shrugged and turned his eyes half-apologetically to Nathan. "No offense."

"It's not like you're wrong," Nathan whispered simply as he began to apply the ointment to the cut on Dominic's face, who winced as his face began to burn.

"Who's the kid?" Dominic asked, his eyes scanning the tiny person in front of Tobias.

"That's my son, Jeremy." Tobias answered, both of them now staring at the boy. Tobias's eyes beamed at his son, who glanced quizzically from Dominic to Tobias, his scrunched eyes innocent and unaware of what was taking place as he sat at his table. Dominic's eyes glared at the child, amazed that the vermin that was Tobias could breed, and barely maintaining his look of feigned shock and sense of composure as his eyes widened.

"Whoa, whoa. Wait a second," his eyes darted back to Tobias, the pain in his face now completely forgotten. "You have a kid? And the Hunters took him from you?" He turned to glare at Nathan, who sighed as his hands slipped and spilled the remaining ointment onto the counter due to Dominic's sudden movement. "Seriously Nathan, the amount of things on the 'not to do list' your group has done is starting to grow." He spat.

"Simmons took the boy as leverage. Some of us, of course, didn't agree with the idea." Nathan implied simply, his pupils glued to the mess while his right hand automatically found the towels and started vigorously wiping up the white, sticky mess.

"And who are these 'some of us' people you keep mentioning? Besides your ex-pal Adrian, I haven't seen anyone who _doesn't_ want to punch me in the face." Dominic shrugged, keeping his eye on the soldier sitting in the room with them.

"Most ended up dead for 'traitorous thoughts'. Besides me, there's only one left alive, and for obvious reasons, I'd rather not reveal his identity right now." Nathan continued through gritted teeth, finishing up cleaning his clutzy mess.

"I fuckin' hate secrets, don't you?" Dominic deadpanned, turning to face his audience of a single soldier and his son, whose blue eyes lit up with surprise.

"Daddy, he said a bad word!" The boy hollered, shooting his finger in Dominic's direction.

"Dominic…" Tobias warned, narrowing his eyes while he gently guided his son's hand down.

"Sorry kid, I've gotten used to not having to watch my language. Pardonnez mon français." Dominic deadpanned, turning his attention back to the boy's alleged father. "So… what's your plan now Tobias? Now that you've reunited with your son and all."

He gave a quick glance in Nathan's direction. "We need to work together to find a way out of here." He stated, his eyes darting back to the sassy fuck questioning them.

"Can't argue with that." Dominic sighed, the pain gently creeping back into his face. He noticed the bloodied rag his arm had been resting on, his eyes making out a tiny hint of crimson staining his arm. He sighed as he reached over and tried to rub it off with a clean rag.

"This place is crawling with over thirty men, so I'd highly advise caution even muttering the words you're about to say." Nathan whispered, his hushed voice muted as the noise of the sink cleansing his hands of the ointment and left over blood drowned him out.

" _C'mooon_ Nathan, you said you'd help us. Find us a way out. You do that, I'll consider us even." Dominic pleaded, his elbow nudging Nathan in jest.

"Right now you owe _me_. After all, I did tell you to just do whatever Simmons says, and I'll handle the rest."

"Yeah?" Dominic spoke flatly. "Well, now you're tending to a cut on my face because your leader's a pri-, well, _evil_." He shrugged, precisely calculating his words.

"Just shut up and hold still." Nathan hissed, roughly jabbing the needle into Dominic cheek, slowly drawing the thread through his skin, feeling the wiry stuff sticking to bits of his flesh with tiny bumps in between the pulling of the thread through and into the other side of the wound, pulling the two slices of flesh together before tying off the first bit. Dominic grunted in pain with every jerk of the needle, having an instinctive feeling this pain was intentional.

As Dominic and Nathan continue to shoot sass back and forth, flashes of light outside caught Tobias's attention, forcing him to leave his son alone at the table to look out the window overlooking the plaza below. Silhouettes of men were moving about with weapons in hand, moving in tiny groups, their inaudible muttering just white noise beyond the looking glass. He narrowed his eyes as a strange noise reached his ears through the glass, the sound of an… ocean crashing upon them. _What?_ Before the thought could reach his lips, he saw them beyond the fence in the dim light. Thousands of walkers stumbling towards the camp with a singular purpose: to eat.

"Uh, guys…" Tobias stuttered, his voice noticeably a different tone as fear filled his veins.

"Daddy….?" Jeremy muttered, sensing the distress in his father's voice.

"You about fucking done?" Dominic hissed as Nathan drug the needle through a new hole in his face, nearly three quarters up the cut, his nerves now in complete agony.

"Yeah, just a few more stitches." Nathan chuckled, taking his time dragging the needle through his skin, so close he scrunched the skin close together, the edges of the cut turning a slight pink. He glanced off to the side, noticing the numbing cream he never even opened for Dominic, laughing as he dug the thread in one more time, gently hitting every bump he could find.

Dominic growled as the pain finally became unbearable and lifting his hand to slap Nathan's hand away before finally cursing out, "for _fuck's_ sake, Nathan."

" **GUYS!** " Tobias hollered at the top of his lungs, only now getting both of their attentions as they turned to look at him at the window as his son turned away, tears welling in his eyes. "We've got a problem."

Dominic shrugged off Nathan's meddling hands and walked over to the window, immediately seeing the herd moving in, and two figures running towards the building just within the courtyard, yards away from the sea of walkers at the fence. One of them was carrying a familiar pickaxe.

"Well, there goes Plan A."


	30. Thank You

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 3 - The Hunted**

 **Chapter 30: Thank You**

* * *

No other sound quite compared to the roar of thousands undead corpses knocking at your door. The otherwise silent hallway was more like the vestibule of a grand concert hall, where the center stage was overrun by the chorus of the dead rather than the electrifying performance of Metallica in their prime, or even the blood-pumping adrenaline rush of newer rock bands like Rise Against or Bullet For My Valentine. The group moved in unison, Dominic (who's scar had finally been fully stitched, although it was still sore from Nathan's rough handiwork) took each step deliberately, like a soldier in enemy territory, while Tobias followed shortly behind, with Jeremy in tow. Dominic was armed with his suppressed pistol, and his machete was returned to its rightful home on his back while the sheath for his knife remained painstakingly empty, the weapon that belonged there now residing with the notorious bandit leader. Tobias was armed with a standard Glock-17 in his right hand, and Jeremy's smaller hand in his left.

Mere minutes before, Nathan had lead them to where the Hunters kept their weapons; yet another classroom turned into an armory, very similar to the science lab UGA used as their own. The two prisoners were reunited with their beloved weapons, while Dominic managed to secure some extremely valuable equipment that would aid them in killing the rest of the Hunters, or at the very least, creating a diversion for them to escape: several explosives (C4 as Tobias had explained), obviously stolen from the UGA crew after the botched leveling of the city.

Now, Dominic was going to put them to good use, with Tobias's help arming them. He still wasn't sure where he would place them, but it would have to be wherever he could cause the most collateral damage, and with the majority of the Hunters outside defending the camp from the undead invaders, that meant having to go out into the Hornet's nest. At this point, he was hoping an opportunity would present itself, as he didn't have much of a plan beyond that. However, the walkers definitely threw an interesting wrench into the mix: if the herd sniffed these guys out, they could pretty much wipe out the Hunters for him, but Dominic wasn't willing to take those chances, even if that meant playing with fire.

After they finished gearing up in the armory, the group spotted a pair of bandits coming up the hallway, heading in their direction. Nathan ran off ahead, and eventually guided them out of the way. As Nathan led the group of bandits in the opposite direction, Dominic's distrust in the ex-Hunter lessened. A sly smile creeped across his lips as the thought that maybe he _was_ telling the truth crossed his mind. That he did want to help them out; or, possibly, he was leading the group of bandits to Simmons, to reveal his entire plan to them. Dominic would never know. Sufficed to say, the man was obviously keeping secrets, but Dominic could only hope that whatever they were wouldn't put him or his family in danger. Although if it came to that, he would eliminate the problem; at least he needed to find out what it was. But that didn't change the fact that Nathan put himself at risk to bust them out. Maybe that meant he could trust the man, and all this paranoia was for nothing, but he couldn't help the inexplicable feeling that he was being played, and with every turn in the labyrinth of hallways, the feeling deepened.

Tobias clung to his son like a concerned father, which irritated Dominic to no end. This man, who was directly responsible for the brutal murder and butchering of innocent men, women, and children alike, ran alongside him with his own son, safe and sound and oblivious to the crimes his father had committed. A morbid thought crossed his mind as he avoided the man's gaze: how would Tobias feel if _his_ son was butchered and the butcherer lived on happily ever after with his own family? He would want to see the man ripped to shreds, as any other sane father would. As Dominic did, with the burden of protecting Clementine resting on Molly's and his shoulders; they had become the new norm of a family. In this apocalypse, Tobias needed to be punished for his crimes, but Dominic couldn't think about that right now; he needed the soldier's expertise with planting the bombs, and the last thing he needed was a real life version of 'Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes', with him directly in the blast radius if things went south. His suspicions may be for naught anyway if Simmons was lying to him, which Dominic knew was a possibility, but the way the bandit leader was so sincere and nonchalant about it made him think otherwise.

The halls were starting to become more familiar as they approached the front of the school. The bustle of bandits was thankfully missing due to the undead circus now threatening to break down the outer gates. But as they approached the final corner, loud thumping of feet could be heard from not too far down the adjacent hall, forcing them to slow down to a crawl, weapons drawn and ready for the coming fight. Dominic and Tobias exchanged knowing glances as the soldier took a step back, placing himself between the turn in the hallway and his son, who, with a single nod, huddled behind Dominic. He peeked around the corner, only to come face to face with a shotgun and a pickaxe aimed at his throat. The air stilled for a fraction of a second as Dominic looked up at the two strangers, only to realize that he was staring at Molly, who shared a similar expression of relief as she dropped her axe to her side and hugged him tightly, tiny spouts of laughter escaping her lips as she forced her voice to a whisper.

" _Holy shit, I almost killed you!_ " The room seemed to disappear around him as he hugged her back, a part of him relieved to see her again, while the other half wished that she _wasn't_ there. The thought of the Hunters capturing them, and what they could do to her, made his heart skip several beats. They pulled apart after a brief moment, Dominic trying to mentally shuffle his thoughts into the correct order as she sheathed her pickaxe and motioned to the stranger standing next to her to put away his the shotgun, who, after hefty consideration, finally put it to rest.

"Molly?! W-what are you doing here?!" Dominic managed to gasp out; it was about the only thing his nerve-wracked brain could come up with. She let out a short laugh as she took a step back, running her fingers through her short blonde hair before her usual sense of sarcasm returned to her.

"Looking for you, obviously," she deadpanned as she turned to gaze down the corridor behind her, making sure the hallway was still clear. As the cadence in the air calmed down, she turned toward the man flanking her right side, who was staring at her with a look of disappointment for a brief second before his eyes finally flicked over to Dominic. "I should probably introduce-"

"Dominic?!" The man's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he blurted out the name. "What the shit?! The fuck are you doing here?!" It took a second for Dominic's brain to comprehend what was going on, and who was standing in front of him, but the accent gave the man's identity away quicker than you could smell a Walker.

Dominic's eyes grew just as wide as he hissed out the man's name, "Steve?!" They shared a moment of shock and awe before Dominic's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second, his sarcastic side returning momentarily as he continued in a playful groan, "for fuck sake, of all the people I had to run into, it **HAD** to be you."

"Whoa, wait… you two know each other?!" Molly asked indignantly, just as shocked as the two old friends. Steve scoffed as he crossed his arms, shotgun still in hand.

"No, no, I see how it is…" he grumbled. "While you're off swanning around the zombie wasteland with your new girlfriend, you totally forgot about your mates!"

"C - Can we talk about this later?" Tobias interrupted as he finally came around the corner to join the party brewing in the hallway, forcing everyone's attention to him. "When there aren't cannibalistic bandits trying to kill us?"

"I can kind of second that," Steve whispered as he turned and aimed his shotgun down the corridor to the entrance.

Dominic laughed before taking a second to recompose himself. "Okay, shit, well, this is sudden as fuck. Okay then, quick introduction and briefing. You guys should know Tobias; this is his son, Jeremy. Now, we need to get the fuck out of here as quickly as we can, _but_ these pricks, the Hunters, they don't get to live."

"Have you seen the horde outside? I don't think they're getting out of this one alive," Molly interrupted, shrugging at his words.

"Same goes for us, if we don't kill them. They'll come after us, and it'll be the same shit all over again. However if we _do_ kill them, we put ourselves at risk, _**but**_ I've got a plan that just might work," Dominic pulled off his backpack and held one of the explosives as delicately as he could in his hand, letting his fellow survivors take in what he was holding. "We set these babies up, blow the school and the Hunters sky-high. Hopefully we can catch some of the herd in the blast, and give us an opening."

"Right, so, a couple of things..." Steve started, his voice lowering. "Firstly, are those what I think they are? And if so, where the fuck did you get explosives?! Secondly, are you fucking insane?! I'd rather not get blown up today."

"It's not important right now," Dominic answered simply, "but that's what this guy's for," he gestured to Tobias as the man waved in greeting. "He knows how to set these things, so he'll set it and we'll make a run for it."

"That's like, literally the worst idea you've ever had. And you've had some pretty fucking terrible ideas, Dominic." Steve grumbled, silently accepting this bastard had determined his fate.

"Oh, like _you_ can do better," Dominic rolled his eyes as he put the explosive back into his backpack.

" **GUYS!** " Molly's sudden hiss shut the two men up as they turned to look at her, a hand placed on her hip. "Run now, bicker later!" She growled before turning to Dominic, a grim look etched across her face. "They've got a bunch of gas just sitting in a pile outside, it could be a good place to set it. But Steve's right, this is crazy."

"It's the only advantage we've got," Dominic insisted, taking a step back as he pulled out his pistol again, "but good thinking." He let out a heavy sigh as he walked past them, heading straight down the hallway. "Okay, let's just... get the fuck out of here."

"Seriously, who died and made you leader?" Steve deadpanned as everyone followed the boy.

"Shut the fuck up, Steve." Dominic retorted, clearly not in the mood for his old friend's shit.

The rest of the group nodded in unison as they formed into a squad, with Dominic in the lead. Molly took his right flank, pulling the strap for the AK-47 she picked up back at UGA over her shoulder as Steve took Dominic's left, his shotgun raised as he glared at Dominic, the British man resisting the urge to retort his friend's previous comment like a burning in his throat. Tobias and Jeremy took up the rear, the father keeping his pistol at his side as he followed the younger members of the group.

The final stretch of hallway seemed to drag on forever as the blown out doors of the school came into view, appearing not like the gates of heaven exactly, but to Dominic, more along the lines of Hell. Here the roar of the dead reached the peak of its crescendo, nearly drowning out the low offbeat drumming of their footsteps as they walked. The smell was the next thing to hit them; an overwhelming taste of rotten bacon and decades old meat almost as palpable as the frozen moisture in the air. They hit the walls beside the doors as several bandits ran across the yard directly in front of the foyer, shooting off several flares into the sky to attract the herd's attention to the flaming ball of fire that would land just beyond the road the fence ran parallel to.

Dominic's pulse quickened to the pace of an upbeat samba, pounding away in his head. One quick look or one bad turn could mean disaster for his suddenly enlarged group of survivors. Everything was on the line, and the responsibility to make sure everything goes to plan had his brain working overtime. He's gotten them out of sticky situations before, but this was hopeless. Bandits surrounded them on all sides, thankfully too busy with the Herd to even notice them, but it was the walkers that had him nervous; sneaking out after blowing these bastards to hell was one thing, but escaping a herd was another, and not something he looked forward to experiencing again. Perhaps his plan _really_ was foolhardy, and as they took each step into the foray, he found himself more and more unsure of his decision.

As sweat dripped down his palms, Dominic signalled his group to stick to the shadows with a motion of his hand, just beyond the fluorescent beams of flashlights emanating from the omnipresent group of bandits. He could hear their hushed shouting as the less experienced members of the group began to fear for their lives.

" _ **Shit**_ _man, what the fuck are we gonna do?!_ "

" _Keep it together bro, just keep shootin' flares!_ "

" _The fence is bending!_ "

" _Shit! Push back! Stephen, get us those fucking planks,_ _ **now**_ _!_ "

" _On it, Marcus!_ "

" _Where's the Boss?!_ "

" _Don't worry about him, just keep pushing back!_ "

" _It's buckling!_ "

" _Shit! Everyone get back and get ready! If I see so much as_ _ **one**_ _of you fuckers chicken out, the dead'uns are gonna be the_ _ **LEAST**_ _of your problems!_ "

 _Maybe Molly was right._ Dominic found himself thinking as they shuffled towards the way the woman in question had broke in, and the piles of jerry cans by the recognizable silhouette of the tool shed. A hundred feet was all that stood between them and freedom. _They'll just end up getting themselves killed anyway._

" _I-I don't wanna die!_ "

" _Get the fuck back here, Trevor!_ "

" _It's too late man, it's too fuckin' late-_ "

 **PKOW! KRRRRTCHH!**

The shouts were drowned out by the sound of screeching metal and gunfire as fifty feet of metal wiring came crashing to the ground, crushing a few unlucky bandits underneath as the herd trampled over them, the barbed wire stabbing their bodies, like a million oversized needles jabbing into their bodies and the snow. The walkers stomped over fence, crushing their already lifeless bodies, sending the nauseating sounds of squelching guts and crunching bones ringing in their ears. The bandits, now nothing more than meatbags oozing blood, shined in the unsteady beams of light from the remaining bandits. One by one, the bandits opened fire on the herd, mowing down the first wave in seconds before their magazines ran dry. They backed up in unison as the next wave approached, but that was all it took. The gap closed in mere seconds between the survivors and the herd, the men who were too proud to run finding their necks chomped and their intestines pulled out like a magician's ribbon trick, the never ending tube spewing crimson blood and tar-like waste all over the snow as the walkers continued to devour them. The liquids turned the snow a sickly brown and bile green, mixing in with the oceans of blood to create one of the most horrific colors Dominic had ever seen.

"Fucking hell," Steve whispered in horror, his eyes transfixed on the horrific spectacle.

Dominic shot a glance at his friend without a word, his sweaty fingers wrapped tight around his pistol. He turned towards Molly; her eyes were lowered to the ground, a glassy look overtaking her usual laid back demeanor. He knew what was going through her mind: the herd from Savannah, and the first time she had to coat herself in guts. No doubt the possibility of having to do it again had her skin crawling. Dominic turned back to the horrific scene in front of them; in the back of his mind, he knew they would be next. He couldn't deny it now: it was an inevitability. All of this running had led them here, and now, even _if_ the bombs were set, and an opening was made, it would have to be perfectly executed for them to pull off. It was just a waiting game for them now. He was leading them _all_ into the slaughterhouse.

All that really stuck out in his mind, was Clementine. Clementine and Molly, who he had sworn to protect. He had done well so far, but at the time when they needed him most, he couldn't even be there to tell Clementine he was sorry, that he did all he could. _What will she think?_ ' _Did they abandon me? Are they dead?'_ With a child's mind, he couldn't decide where the train of thought would travel.

And Molly, the one who had come to rescue him and succeeded, would only be eaten up with him in his demise. She had gone through so much before, losing her own sister, and having to fend for herself for weeks or months. Maybe, he thought, she should have turned away from them, turned the other cheek. Just possibly, she could have lived just a little longer than this.

With a tear in his eye, and accepting his fate, he croaked. "Keep moving."

* * *

Henry Simmons always found a way to piss the wrong people off. Countless survivors have crossed his path, only a few could do any harm to him or his group. But, those that could, found ways to fuck him over even worse than the last. Terminus took his trusted advisor and only real friend away from him; UGA costed him a third of his men to force into submission; now, Dominic took everything he held dear away, right down to the floor beneath his feet. It wasn't _completely_ the asshole's fault; his own men's incompetence resulted in the shitshow he witnessed unfolding outside, but the pent up rage inside of him was solely focused on the fucktard who got them into this mess in the first place, and Tobias, who Henry had _thought_ he had broken into submission. But, evidently the real culprit revealed himself soon after Fucktard's breakout had become apparent: Nathan.

As the shouts of his men filled the air outside his window, Simmons finally decided to intervene. It's not that he didn't want to beforehand, but he had faith that his men could handle the situation; his faith was misplaced as it seemed. Part of him didn't want to be out there if things did go to shit; in here, he had the chance of sneaking out if the dead broke in, at least he thought so. Maybe he was wrong; maybe he was just a coward, but he refused to believe that. He refused to die, and if that meant being a coward, then so fucking be it. But he was Henry Goddamn Simmons, leader of the Hunters, he wasn't some pussy like Fucktard. But, coward or not, he didn't expect to run into Nathan in the hallway as he prepared himself to take control of the situation.

Nathan was still a relative newcomer to the group, having only been with them for a few months before they found the UGA camp. He stuck to himself mostly, only recently opening up to the group more in the past couple weeks. Simmons didn't like that about him; it was suspicious behavior, and made him seem uncooperative and rebellious, but he sparked a friendship with his former second-in-command, Adrian, shortly after their arrival in Athens. Though, after it became apparent that Adrian was plotting against Simmons, the outsider distanced himself from his friend. Simmons thought that maybe it was because he was loyal, but the capture of Dominic and Tobias seemed to spark rebellious thoughts in Nathan's mind once again. He knew what Nathan was up to, it didn't take a genius to figure it out. He just wanted to see how far Nathan was willing to take it, and it seemed that the threat of a herd was enough to break the camel's back.

So there he was, rifle in hand, and a fake look of disgust on his face as he rushed down the hallway towards him. _Fuckin' prick._ Simmons wanted to break his teeth before the man even opened his mouth.

"Sir! The fence is about to fall! We need to get you out of here!" He squealed, the sounds of pussies screaming and pansies running from the inevitable fall of the wall was muffled through the glass panes. Nathan was so obviously full of shit, it tempted Simmons to laugh in his face and punch him straight into the ground.

"For **fuck** sake Nathan!" Simmons growled, his roar echoing through the hall, silencing the muffled screams. He was happy to play the part of evil dictator for a few more minutes. "I gave you people **ONE** job!"

"There's too many of t - them!" Nathan threw back, his voice quivering and hesitant. He took a step back while he babbled to his dictator about the group's failures. If Simmons wasn't already pissed off, he would be impressed by this fucker's ability to lie.

"That's _bull_ _ **shit**_ ," Simmons cursed as he stepped closer to the traitor, jabbing his finger into the bastard's stomach with each line. "You're tellin' me that these men, who've dealt with far worse shit than this, can't handle a small herd?!"

"W - Well, umm…" Nathan trembled, slowly realizing his fatal mistake. With a single wave of his hand, Simmons's powerful demeanor vanished, and his calm, complacent image took its place. Simmons, with his head bowed and taking in a deep breath, so intense it seemed to remove all sound and vibrations of the current situation outside from the room, suffocating his soldier with fear and worry. Simmons gently raised his head and met Nathan's gaze as he laid a hand on his shoulder to comfort the man.

"It's alright, brother," Simmons purred as he gripped an object shielded from view behind his back. "What they're doing takes guts." He shrugged, a sly smile creeping onto his face. "They'll die to make sure this camp stays safe. So that _we_ stay safe. And well, you…" Simmon's voice trailed off as Nathan's hand dropped to his pocket out of the corner of his eye. _My, my, Nathan, you're going to have to do a lot better than that._ "You, on the other hand, have _no_ guts **at all**." It took less than a second for him to thrust the knife into Nathan's stomach. The traitor's eyes bulged out of their sockets like some sort of B-Movie horror flick, sending a euphoric feeling of joy down Simmons' spine as he twisted the knife, the squelching, gurgling sound making his mouth just as twisted as it contorted into a gleeful grin. He used all of his strength to pull the knife down, slicing the man's skin like butter as the blade cut through the intestines, and down to Nathan's bladder; blood and fluids covered his hands as he finished his retort with a shit-eating grin. "...'cause your guts are all over the floor, get it?"

He received only gurgles in reply as Nathan slumped to the ground, falling face down into the pool of his own blood, like a body falling into a crimson pond, the tiny waves rolling out further in the vast mosaic of tiles. Simmons knelt down beside Nathan's spewing body and wiped the blade off on his victim's shirt before rising up and staring down at the corpse with satisfaction.

"Hope you enjoy being dead, you prick."

* * *

Gunfire and deafening screams filled the air; the sounds of warfare was like a punch to Dominic's gut, the gruesome sight and the dreadful wails sending bile rising in his throat. He'd seen death before, but not on such a scale as this. He found himself admiring the Hunters' bravery to stand and fight, even though it was clearly a foolish and reckless choice. Running away was always the better solution, because living to fight another day was always better than standing your ground and screaming in agony as every orifice of your body is chewed on by the rabid cadavers. But, standing your ground, against every odd, there was a sort of poetic irony to that, even if that irony did little to justify the needless deaths of dozens of men, _if_ Dominic even cared about their lives in the first place. He had a feeling those that ran away would end up executed by their own anyway.

Through the mass of bodies, blood, and overall chaos surrounding them, Dominic could see the shed only a few feet ahead of them, his brain switching into tunnel vision mode to focus on the tiny spot in the gigantic battle of Hunters versus Walkers. He took minor glances behind him, noticing the group behind him was his, as they were the shadows in the night, straying past the hundreds of bodies of Hunters and the undead fighting all around them. Only mere feet away from the shed, the high-pitched whimpers of a child reached Dominic's ears like a radio picking up a distress signal. In what felt like a second, the only minorly crowded plaza became an overrun shitstorm of walkers as the world moved in slow motion, their attention divided between the Hunters, who now have been reduced to barely half their strength, and now, the sudden outcry of a child. They weren't the only ones drawn to the cries however, several bandits turned to look in their direction, barely making out the silhouettes of their escaped prisoners.

" _D - Daddy?_ "

" _Shhhh, son!_ "

" _The fuck you think you're goin' assholes?!_ "

 _This is it. I failed them._

"Shit, run!" Dominic yelled as the deafening cracks of bullets started flying in their direction. They were only a few seconds away from the tool shed, but it took less for two bullets to pierce flesh. The broken, agonizing screams of an injured and scared child and a young woman smashed against his eardrums as Dominic turned around, watching in horror as Jeremy and Molly both fell to the frozen ground in sync. At this point, time stopped completely.

" **NO!** " Dominic screamed as he emptied his magazine into the crowd, his bullets piercing both bandit and walker alike as his gun clicked uselessly in his hand. His body fueled by rage, and logic far from him, he held the trigger like a lifeline, trying desperately to prolong anyone's life. Steve grabbed and dragged Molly behind the shed, his eyes just as wide as his friend's as he shoved his way past the smoky haze of bullets surrounding them.

"Oh _**fuck**_! Are you okay?!" Steve gasped as he helplessly tried to apply pressure to the gunshot wound on Molly's leg. The bullet had flown wildly, ripping through Molly's jeans and out the other side of her right thigh. The blood pouring onto the ground behind the shed.

" **Peachy**!" She hissed as she gasped for breaths, the pain sending traumatizing shockwaves up her spine. "Just _peachy_!"

" _Jeremy? Buddy, can y - you hear me?_ " Tobias croaked as he fell to his knees, the fight like the white noise of a distant television as held his little boy in his arms, who wanted to scream and cry, but the blood pooling in his lungs and throat forced the cries into desperate gurgles as little streams of blood dribbled out of the corners of his lips. Dominic yanked on the soldier's collar, ripping the broken man away from his worst nightmare only for him to dig his way back into the hell destined for him as the limp boy fell out of his arms and back into the snow. " _ **NO!**_ **LET ME GO!** "

" **HE'S** _ **DEAD!**_ " Dominic shouted into his ear as he dragged and slammed Tobias behind the cover of the tool shed, popping out the magazine on his pistol and slamming in a new one. The lifeline growing thinner with each click, every life now fighting behind the one side of the shed. " **Tobias!** **Fuck** sake, I _**still**_ need you! **Set the charges!** " He bellowed, his voice barely a whisper over all of the screams and roars of the battle.

" _I - I can't!_ " Tobias whimpered, his face covered in tears and slobber as he automatically tried to crawl back to his son, who's gurgles had ceased like the passing of a stroke. The little soldier's body lay limp in the snow, the blood gently gushing out of his lower back as both walker and Hunter alike converged on the tiny shed. " _I - I just n - need to-_ " Tobias weeped, his only instinct to pick up the broken pieces of his son.

"She's bleeding out Dominic!" Steve shouted from beside the broken man as Dominic was forced to hold Tobias back from the corner of the shed, where more bullets continued to graze past the wooden structure. Dominic's face burned as the deafening cracks whizzed past his ears, and roamed a little too close for comfort beside his cheeks. He pinned Tobias against the wall as he pulled off his hoodie and tossed it to Steve; he dared to glance once more beyond the shed, only to see Marcus pushing and kicking walkers out of his way as he stomped towards the shed, hatred etched across his face.

"Use this and get her out of here!" Dominic shouted, picking off another walker, the thread growing shorter and shorter.

"What about you?!" Steve shrieked, his flimsy hands patching up Molly's leg, her agonizing moans making his voice crack as fear took over.

"Just go!" Dominic barked as he returned his attention to the grieving man, using his knee to hold the man in place against the shed as he shot off a few more blind bullets around the building to make sure his friends' escape was covered. He turned back to see Steve running with her, one arm around her shoulder, before they disappeared through the opening in the fence, their lifelines removed from the scissor's clasp. Once his friends were safe, he glared at Tobias, his eyes burning with flames as he shook the soldier like they were hiding in a trench of a theatre of war they could never win.

"Listen to me, man! He's gone! You can't let this destroy you! I know it _fucking_ _**hurts**_ , and I know you feel like your only reason to live is gone! I felt like that when these **bastards** shot Clem, but I didn't let them break me! A - And this won't break you! You can make them pay for what they've done!" The man cried as the fight left his body, his hands covering his face, as if the war around him was a figment of his imagination. Dominic loosened the pressure his knee was applying to the man's chest. "We can still do this Tobias, _please_!" He begged, the scissors closing in.

"O-okay…" Tobias breathed, his body shaking like some sort of internal earthquake was wrenching his form as he struggled to form the words on his lips. "L - Let's do it. Gimme the charges!" He croaked, his trembling hands reaching out.

Dominic pulled away from the man and slipped off his backpack, rummaging through it until he fished out the two blocks of C4. He handed them over to the broken man, who accepted them with a deadened look on his face. While Tobias hesitantly began punching numbers into the small interface on the block and placed the charges against the wooden frame of the shed, Dominic peered around the corner of the building, nearly receiving a bullet for a reward.

" _Come out, you fucking prick!_ " Marcus roared as the ear-splitting sound of an AK-47 unloading in his direction sent a violent shiver down Dominic's spine, his own bullets whizzing into the crowd from hell in front of them.

"How's those charges coming Tobias?!" The sense of fear and anxiety pulsated in Dominic's voice. _Maybe it'll just be us who don't make it…_

"Just a few more s - seconds!"

"I don't think we've got that long!" Dominic shouted back as walkers began to converge on the shed in front of them, the creaking shrills coming from the bending wood and metal starting a full on shock reverberating throughout his body. He fired off a few shaky shots in their direction, a lucky few connecting with the brain stems of the undead cadavers, while the Hunters followed immediately behind. They were so close now, he could make out the twisted looks in their eyes. He watched as a few unlucky 'survivors' were trampled by the walkers behind them, their bodies immediately gorged on like a full course meal for the undead.

"Alright! Done… we've got a minute!" Tobias roared in triumph as a cold sweat broke out over his body, his voice still shaking from the loss of his loved one.

" _Thank you._ "

Dominic immediately turned towards Tobias, and, with a single, smooth motion, aimed his pistol directly against the soldier's head and pulled the trigger.

 **BANG!**

His ears were ringing from all of the gunfire surrounding him, his hands just as shaky as his hearing seemed to be. He watched as the body slumped and fell face-first into the snow, blood pouring out the back of the man's head, where Dominic's bullet had burrowed itself. The fact that the bullet was even his hardly had time to click in his mind before he turned and sent another bullet into the forehead of the soldier's dead son, whom the walkers were just about to feast upon.

 _Fifty five seconds._

Dominic broke into a full sprint towards the fence as he could feel more bullets heading towards him, the warm reminder sending a sting in his back, the smoke following him out of the corner of his eyes. He took no notice of this, except for the fence that was now his way out of purgatory.

 _Forty eight seconds._

The metal wires of the fence rattled as bullets ripped through them. Dominic reached the enlarged hole in the barrier, pushing through with maximum effort and ignoring the painful chills of the frozen metal rods scratching his skin and leaving trails of blood down his body, after all, he was covered in enough scars by now that a few more wouldn't make a difference.

 _Thirty seconds._

Steve and Molly were leaning against the brick building across the street from the camp, the British man doing his best to put pressure on the bullet hole in Molly's leg when he saw Dominic running towards them. A single question burned in both of Dominic's friends' minds.

"Where's Tobias?!" They screamed out in sync.

" **Just run!** "

 _Fifteen seconds._

They tore down the street leading away from Zone 2, hitting the ground with a crunch as they hid behind the husk of an abandoned cookie-cutter home.

 _Two seconds._

They covered their ears as the resulting explosion lit up the night sky, the shockwave crashing against their eardrums like a sonic boom. Steve stared off to oblivion, his trousers dripping of a warm fluid, while all Dominic could hear was his breathing as his eyes connected with Molly's, a single thought flashing between them telepathically.

 _We made it._


	31. Killer Within

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 4: Judge, Jury, Executioner**

 **Chapter 31: Killer Within**

* * *

 _The stiff, cool autumn air hung over them like a blanket as lifeless grey clouds blocked out the sun. The harsh temperature, and the deaths from the other night sent chills down Dominic's spine as he zipped up his black hoodie and slumped into his seat atop the RV. The sniper rifle laid uncomfortably in his lap, its presence almost begging him to kill again. His mind kept playing the events from a week ago over and over, only furthering him down the path to insanity with each passing second._

 _Clementine sat silently next to him, fixing the creases in her blouse before returning her golden eyes to the treeline beyond the walls of their home. The branches drifting softly in the low breeze, waving at each each other, like old friends passing each other by._

 _So much had happened in such a short span of time, her innocent mind could hardly comprehend them all. Her thoughts synchronized with her protector's, the horrific sight of Dominic murdering that man at the farm haunting her still, and with how much free time she had, she couldn't stop thinking about it._

" _Dominic?" She broke the silence between the two, mentally kicking herself over the question she was about to ask._

" _Yeah Clem?" He answered with a heavy breath, his tired blue eyes flitting over to her._

" _That man you killed at the farm…" she started, lowering her eyes as she found herself choking on her words._

" _What about him?" His eyes and tone grew serious as his grip on the rifle tightened, the mere mention driving chills across his body._

 _She gulped down the lump forming in her throat. "You said that you did that to him to protect us, and that he deserved it… but did you enjoy it?"_

 _He sighed as he leaned the rifle against his lawn chair, turning back to look at her, her beady eyes back on him. "You shouldn't be thinking about things like that, Clem."_

" _S-sorry," she stuttered, feeling as if she crossed the line with her question. "It's just… you scared me really badly."_

" _And I'm sorry that you had to see it…" he trailed off as his eyes returned to the treeline, watching the limbs dance freely in the sun as a tiny lump climbed into his throat. "You should never enjoy killing, no matter what. I didn't want to kill anyone, but sometimes you're left with no choice. It was either him or us, and I'd choose us any day." He took in a deep breath as he turned to look her in the eye. "But no, Clem… I_ _ **didn't**_ _enjoy killing him. Yes, he did some pretty bad things, but that doesn't make killing the right choice. That doesn't justify the act. There's_ _ **always**_ _a better solution for the situation, but the problem is_ _ **finding**_ _it. This world just makes you do the most eff'd up things to survive, and I don't want to see you have to go through all of that. I don't want you to become a killer too."_

" _Hey Dom!" A deep baritone voice echoed off the walls of the motel as Dominic turned to see Lee and Kenny peering back up at him, causing the boy to wipe the tears from his eyes. "You ready for that run yet?"_

" _Yeah, I'm coming!" Dominic returned before slouching back into his chair for a brief second. After a deep breath, he finally worked up the courage to stand up, and turned back to Clementine, reaching out his hand to help her up. "Whatever happens, Clem, I'll be there to make sure you don't have to make that same choice."_

The explosion left a constant ringing in Dominic's ears as he hugged the ground. Half of his face froze against the cement and snow, while his other cheek burned from the searing heat of the flames engulfing Zone 2 in a blaze of glory; even from six hundred feet away the flames felt like touching the surface of the sun, and only the scorched brick of the house they hid behind saved them from being cooked alive. The world stopped for the briefest of seconds, as if the explosion seemed to stop the Earth's rotation and time itself.

Laying next to him in the snow, Molly couldn't hold in the pain as blood seeped through Dominic's jacket, which was now wrapped tightly around the bullet wound on her leg. No words were spoken between them as Dominic pushed himself to his feet and pulled her up, wrapping her arm around him. Steve sat in the snow with a blank look on his face, almost emotionless as the screams of dying bandits continued to pierce the air, and the harsh flicker of flames glowed on the opposite wall in front of them. He hardly noticed when Dominic reached out to help him up, his body numb and only following the motions, like some sort of robot, as he wrapped Molly's other arm around him. The ocean of noise was replaced by the sounds of war, at least, what Steve imagined them to sound like. The sounds of roaring flames and what he could only distinguish as screaming and gunshots bled into his ear canals, his body almost too far gone to react physically to the torture. As they stumbled into the empty street, he looked back into the flames, watching as countless zombies continued their march through the flames, only to inevitably fall to the ground, their rotten skin peeling off into the dirt, and brains turned into nothing but goop from the searing heat. Most of the herd however had been turned into a layer of blood, melted skin, and gore smeared all over the ground and walls of the surrounding buildings. It was like nothing any of them have ever seen.

After about five minutes of stumbling through the streets, the wind picked up to the strength of a howling gale. Thick flakes of snow blew into their faces, sending a cool mix of frozen air against their cheeks, yet the burning sensation of a roaring flame continued kissing their backs. A snowstorm was coming in, and at least the flames brought them some warmth on their backs, but with the severe intensity of the fire, it was hard to choose which was more comforting: death by a melting in fire, or frozen in ice.

After a minute of stumbling forward aimlessly, a lone walker turned in their direction, growling as it wobbled towards them. It tripped over a dying hedge in front of a white victorian-style home with greek lettering stapled above the greying grandiose entrance as Dominic let go of Molly, who leaned against Steve while she tried to hobble forward on her uninjured leg. Without a word, Dominic rushed over to the toppled cadaver, pulling out his machete before swinging the blade down on its head with as much strength as he could muster. It took a few swings to finally break through the walker's skull, leaving blood and brain matter smeared all over the concrete sidewalk as Dominic returned to his friends, who remained as silent as he was. The snow was picking up now, and the further they got from the inferno, the colder the air got.

"Dominic, I don't think she's going to make it all the way back to camp," Steve's voice was soft, almost sombre, as Dominic turned to gaze at them before looking back at the raging inferno now hidden behind a cluster of trees and dilapidated homes. The fire continued to blaze into the night at an increasing rate, consuming anything in its path. If the wind picked up, it's possible half the city could be burned with Zone 2. But they couldn't think about that now, not with Molly's blood starting to leak underneath the jacket and down her leg.

"I'll be fine," Molly breathed, her rampant panting and pained gasps with each step indicating that she, in fact, was not fine. Dominic sighed as he sheathed his machete. She was going to be stubborn about it, but Steve was right.

After a brief second, he let out the breath he was holding in. "No, he's right. We need to take care of you before you end up bleeding out on the road." His voice sounded cold, even to him, as his eyes examined their surroundings for some sort of safe haven in the darkness, but the snow obscured most of the street ahead, so his attention returned to the stark-white Victorian villa on their left.

The windows were boarded up, leaving no way for Dominic to see inside. The first thought that popped into his head was that it must've been a fraternity house for the university, given the greek lettering above the porch. The fact that the windows were blockaded made it both an interesting choice to stay for the evening and, sadly, meant it was probably locked up tight. Although the street ahead didn't seem to have any better choices waiting for them, so he immediately changed course as his grip on his blade tightened. "There." He finally spoke in a neutral tone.

His two friends exchanged glances before following their Dominic into the courtyard of the villa. As they approached the mansion, Steve observed Dominic with a critical eye. His friend had changed alright; the once timid, boring man was a completely different person now. His eyes were hardened, like a soldier who's seen way too many wars. His body was noticeably thinner, where flab had been replaced by muscle, although his physique was still that of a track athlete rather than a bodybuilder. He carried himself like a man on a mission, each step deliberate, and shoulders raised high as his head scanned their surroundings, always on alert. His glasses were gone too, which threw off Steve more than anything else. Dominic always had those things on, so it was like they became a part of his face, his image. Despite knowing each other better than they knew themselves, Steve could barely see the Dominic he knew from before. It was obvious that he had to do some shit Steve would think twice about doing, and based on the man's indifference to the Hunters, he had his fair share of run-ins with bandits and cannibals; he didn't even want to know how many people Dominic had to kill to get here, based on the way he handled the shitshow back in Zone 2.

The red bricks beneath their feet were covered in a fresh layer of snow, creating a strange pattern of maroon and white as they stepped towards their abode for the evening. Steve nearly tripped as his foot found a hole in the pattern, where a brick had crumbled or went missing long ago. The porch stood in front of them, four massive marble columns holding the overhang two stories up. The door was reminiscent of the golden age of Southern culture, it's dark wood a stark contrast to the white paint of the villa. Above the entrance, a balcony extended out, the white fence bordering the extension connecting to the two front columns. Two windows flanked the door to the balcony. Two chimneys extended into the sky on either side of the villa, creating a perfect symmetry with the three grandiose windows of the master bedroom on the third floor. Several derelict vehicles were parked in the driveway on their left, torn apart by scavengers for spare parts. Steve took a wary look behind them, the glow of the flames in the distance lit up the night sky as the snow waved in the wind, creating a strange flickering effect as the flames reflected off of the frozen flakes.

Dominic reached the villa first, hopping up the concrete steps two at a time before moving toward the entrance, his machete at the ready. He turned back to his friends as Steve helped Molly lean against the nearest column before returning Dominic's gaze.

"Watch the street for walkers," Dominic hissed, his attention returning to the large door in front of him. He raised the machete to bang its hilt against the wood; if there were walkers inside, they'd know. From behind him, he could hear Steve scoff. Molly rolled her eyes as she predicted the argument to come.

"Why don't _you_ keep an eye out for walkers instead? I never agreed to you telling me what to do, mate." The Brit muttered as he stared at his friend's back, who turned to glare at him with a murderous gaze.

"Who's the one here with a machete?" Dominic growled as Steve scratched at his arm nervously. _No wonder Molly likes him, they're both cunts._

He let out another scoff as he turned to watch the street beyond the once manicured courtyard with a grumble, his eyes barely able to make out the thoroughfare through the curtains of snow coming down as the wind whipped the flakes into his face. "Just wait until I find a bigger sword, then we'll see who has the biggest dick."

Dominic banged the hilt against the door three times, signalling the end of Steve's retorts as the noise reverberated into the air and the villa. The street remained silent, other than the intense crackling of the inferno in the distance and the howling wind. A solid two minutes passed before Dominic decided that the house was clear; a second later, he twisted the doorknob, but found himself hardly surprised that it didn't budge. Behind him, Molly slowly slid down to the floor, the pain in her leg becoming too much to bear while standing.

She let out a soft sigh as she gazed up at Dominic, who slammed his hand against the door in defeat. "It's locked, isn't it?"

"Yup," he replied with an aggravated sigh, kicking the floorboards as he turned back to his exhausted group. "I'll have to find another way in. Maybe there's a back door or a broken window. Hell, we could even try reaching for that balcony. Not like we've got much options beyond that anyway." He let the options hang in the air for a second before he continued in a neutral tone. "Alright, you two stay here, hopefully I can find a way to unlock the door."

"Well, hurry the fuck up then," Steve retorted as he gripped his shotgun tighter, the tension in the air and the thought that more walkers would show up agitating the man. "We don't have all night."

Dominic let out an annoyed sigh as he pushed past Steve. The more his friend spoke, the more he remembered how much he hated him. Their friendship had always been shaky at best, on the verge of coming apart at the seams with every moment. They were more alike than they cared to admit, always so stubborn and making rude remarks to each other. The only reason they became friends was because of video games, and that friendship nearly ended multiple times because of those said video games. Nowadays, they didn't have that luxury, and Dominic wasn't willing to let Steve try to boss him around. After all, he was the one who survived on his own with only a child and a woman for company, albeit that woman was better at surviving that he was, but what has Steve done? Sit around on his ass while the military most likely took care of him. He just wasn't prepared for the world beyond the walls of UGA, no matter how much the Brit declared otherwise.

Dominic peered into the cars as he passed by; there was two of them in the driveway: one was a 2002 Nissan Altima, its windows were broken, and the innards of the car was stripped bare, even the wheels were missing from the frame. The second car, a 2002 Toyota Highlander, shared the same fate. A cadaver was left haphazardly strewn in the space between the two vehicles, most of its body cut into small pieces, like some sort of cannibalistic sushi. He turned away, his nose scrunching, and side-stepped around the mess.

The backyard was even more frightening than the driveway. Trees bordered the grassy lot, encircling the back patio and badminton net, left half set up as its owner abandoned it. The remnants of a campfire stood in the center of the yard, where five more bodies surrounded it in a circle. The bodies were mostly rotted away as months of decay and adverse weather conditions accelerated their decomposition. Each body had a large, gaping hole where their forehead used to be. One body, a larger male based on the amount of muscle tissue still left over, held a revolver in his hands. Dominic walked over, stepping over the cadavers as if they would suddenly reanimate underneath him, and ripped the pistol out of the large man's hand. He flicked open the chamber as he examined the blackened body with mild interest; only one out of six bullets remained. Five guys, five bullets. It became clear what had happened as Dominic stood back up.

The wind continued to howl at a sharp tone, whistling through the trees to create an eerie aura straight from a horror movie. He stashed the pistol in his back pocket as he said the only thing that came to his mind. "Poor bastards."

His eyes returned to the patio, where several torn up lawn chairs stood side by side, end tables placed in between each one. Half-empty bottles of beer and liquor were everywhere, some of them toppled to the ground, where they rolled across the polished wood, only to end up knocking into the fence post or the matte black grill. The back door was left wide open, the interior shrouded in darkness as Dominic fished out his flashlight from his backpack.

The door led into the kitchen, where even more bottles of alcohol were left behind, however most appeared to be empty. To his right, he could make out the living room: a three-seater couch and a couple of bean bags situated around a large, widescreen Box TV. It was one of the TVs that probably weighed as much as a car, Dominic would guess. A PlayStation 2 was laid on a TV tray next to the big screen. He found himself wishing the place still had power, just for the chance to play some games again. A common room dominated the front right of the house, where several desks were situated with old-fashioned PCs on them. The rest of the first floor appeared to be two bedrooms and a bathroom. Not a single noise or creak reached his ears as he stepped into the foyer, where a set of stairs ran alongside the left wall, leading up to, presumably, more bedrooms. He held the flashlight with his teeth as he unlocked the door, machete still clutched tightly in his hand, just in case anything jumped out at him. The first thing to greet him as he opened the door was Steve's smug face.

"What took you so long?"

"Shush," Dominic deadpanned as he motioned them inside. He held his hands out in the air, as if welcoming them to an apartment for rent. "Welcome to Casa del Frat Boy. PlayStation and dial-up porn will be on your left, cum-stained beds and porn magazines will be on your right."

Steve stifled a laugh as Dominic closed the door behind them, the remaining light from the inferno disappearing from sight, leaving them in semi-darkness. "He thinks he's a comedian."

* * *

The young girl's golden eyes lingered on the flames in the distance; the fog-like veil of snow reflected the light into the city like an eerie glow, lighting up the night sky. Her hand was pressed against the ice-cold window, as if yearning to break free and find her friends lost in this city of the dead. She couldn't help but worry that her protectors got caught in the explosion, and she wasn't ready to be alone, lost in this world with only strangers for company. A part of her was still angry at Dominic for the things he said that morning, but she didn't want to see him dead. She realized that the things he's done was to protect her, even if that meant he had to keep secrets from her. And Molly, well, she was almost like the sister she never had. If they were gone, she didn't know what to do. That fear kept her eyes fixated on the aftermath of the explosion, her heart beating faster as the fear flowed through her tiny body.

She pulled away from the window as a hand gently grabbed her shoulder, turning her head to gaze up at her newfound friend, Chloe, who returned her gaze with a soft smile and a look of sympathy.

"I'm sure they're fine, Clem. They both seemed tough as nails," Chloe tried to comfort the little girl, which made a small smile twitch on Clementine's lips.

"They are," she whispered, her anxious mind still worrying about her friends despite Chloe's attempt to alleviate her fears, forcing the small smile away as they took over her thoughts.

"So stop worrying then," The young woman smiled at the little girl as she motioned for Clementine to rejoin her at the game of checkers they had been playing in the middle of a classroom, which had been turned into a common room. As they sat down at the table, Chloe spoke once more. "First time I saw Dominic, he was _covered_ in blood, with a crazed yet determined look in his eyes. He looked like he'd been through hell and back, just to make sure you survived. And Molly looked like the type of woman who could take on an army all by herself. I don't think an explosion could stop them from getting back to you." She finished as she stretched in her seat, trying to get comfortable in the plastic piece of crap, before reaching out her hand and moving one of her pieces on the board.

Clementine's eyes fell to the checkered board as a wave of sadness washed over her. She bit back her tongue as she tried to find the words she wanted to say. After a minute of silence, she let out a soft breath. "A year ago, back in Savannah, my friend Lee and our group went looking for me after a strange man kidnapped me. Dominic found me, then Molly found us, but the rest of the group… Lee…" she sniffled. "We never saw them again. They could be dead, and it's all my fault." She breathed in before her fingers instinctively touched the healing wound on her abdomen. "Then we ended up here because of me, and Dominic left on that run because of me, so if they're dead-"

"You can't blame yourself for everything," Chloe lectured, her eyes flitting over to the little girl as she pondered her next move for a second, before reaching out her tiny arm and moving a piece. "These are situations that're out of your control. I know that after a while, it becomes a habit… blaming yourself… and you lash out at your friends because you hate yourself for the things you _think_ you caused, and you'll think no one can help you, and the world is nothing but shit." She let out a long sigh as she avoided Clementine's gaze. "My dad died in a car crash when I was fourteen… I blamed it on myself for years, even hated myself for it. I ended up dropping out of school, dyeing my hair, and going full-on rebel when I was eighteen. I just wanted to say 'fuck the world' and try to forget the fact that I was still grieving and blaming myself for my father's death." She grabbed one of her captured pieces in her hand, twirling it with her fingers, before placing it back down and moving another one of her pieces still on the board, capturing another one of Clementine's pieces in the process. "Eventually, you need to find a way to forgive yourself, and realize that you were never the one to blame to begin with." She returned her gaze to the young girl, who peered up at her with sad, yet hopeful eyes. "So promise me you'll try, okay?"

"I'll try," Clementine promised, her voice shaky as she finally took her turn, moving one of her pieces to capture one of Chloe's, and then another. The older woman smiled as Clementine placed the captured pieces in her pile.

"Good," she let out a hasty breath. "You about ready for dinner? I'm starved." She asked in a light tone, much happier than it had been when the conversation started.

Clementine grinned as she held a hand to her rumbling stomach. "Yes, please."

* * *

 _The soft rustle of leaves filled the air as Dominic, Molly, and Clementine marched through the forest aimlessly. The sounds of nature replaced the ever-present roar of the undead near the cities, leaving the ragtag group feeling deaf as the chirping of birds and the crinkle of leaves being crushed under their feet washed over them softly like a gentle breeze. That peaceful feeling was thwarted by the rumbling of their stomachs however. What little food they had left were rationed to keep them going, along with the couple bottles of water still filled to the brim. They needed to find some supplies soon or else they weren't going to make it._

 _A soft groan reached their ears as Molly unsheathed her pickaxe. As they approached a small inclination, the trees curving upwards with the hill, the walker in question came into view. It lay stuck against the base of a tree, moss and roots growing on and around its rotting legs. Molly quickly stepped toward it as its growls grew louder and more excited. Dominic grabbed a hold of Clementine's shoulder as Molly sent her weapon barreling straight into the walker's brain with a sickening_ _ **thunk**_ _. She returned to the group without a word, the two adults sharing a look of despair as the reality of their situation beared down upon them. They were going to die in this forsaken Georgian forest; their supply of food and water will run out, and that'll be it for them. Game over._

 _The sombre atmosphere within the group continued for several minutes. It was obvious to even Clementine that this was the end for them. She just wished she could've done something to help prevent it, but what could she do? She was nine years old in a world of the dead. They didn't even smile as a small cabin appeared in the distance, most of the property obscured by trees and brush. As they drew closer, they could see the building was flanked by a metal shed on one side, and a small, rickety car park on the other. A SUV sat silently underneath the metal roof, not a single speck of dust on its pristine surface._

 _Dominic's eyes fixed themselves on the vehicle as Molly touched his arm with her hand. "We should go, Dominic."_

" _No," he breathed, "if there's somebody here, they could have food," his voice was barely a whisper as his eyes hardened._

" _What are you suggesting? Kill them for it?"_

 _He let out a deep breath as he pulled out the Stranger's revolver. "If it comes to that."_

Molly let out a hiss of pain as Dominic helped her lay on the worn-out couch in front of the TV. The silence between the two was becoming awkward, but neither party felt like saying anything as Steve explored the fraternity's ground floor. Dominic's eyes didn't leave Molly's wound on her leg as Steve's voice called from the kitchen.

"Anything out back?"

Dominic pulled away from Molly as he hissed out to his friend. "I wouldn't look out there if-"

"Don't tell me what to do…" Steve's voice trailed off as the soft noise of the door clicking resounded in the air. "What the fuck?!"

Dominic failed to hold back his laughter as he slumped into a bean bag next to the couch, rubbing his temple gingerly with a smile. "I told you not to look."

His friend returned to the living room with a horrified look on his face. "How are you so nonchalant about this?!"

Dominic merely shrugged as he stretched his muscles. "Shit happens, I guess."

"Still as crazy as ever I see," Steve sighed before walking off, his footsteps resounding in the air as he went upstairs to explore some more. The room fell into yet another deathly silence as the two survivors listened to their friend's exploration upstairs.

Molly let out a short laugh between pained grunts. "I really don't know how you two are friends."

Dominic smiled as he sagged deeper into the recesses of the bean bag. "Me neither," he replied with a laugh. "We've always had a kind of love/hate friendship ever since we've met. He can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's always been a good friend, nonetheless." He sighed as he pushed himself back to his feet. "I'll be right back, gonna try to see if I can find something to disinfect that wound, and hopefully find some gauze while I'm at it."

"You really expect to find gauze in a frat house?" She gazed toward him with a bemused smile.

"I'm sure these guys did some pretty dangerous shit after a night of drinkin', so yeah, I have a hunch."

"Oh, I'm sure," she deadpanned as she watched him leave. The smile on his face seemed to be permanently etched into his skin; it was a feeling he hadn't felt in what felt like _years_. He was glad to be reunited with Molly again, and couldn't wait to see Clementine again in the morning. He felt almost happy, which felt so alien to him that he could hardly identify that it _was_ happiness. The Hunters were gone; the massive herd was mostly gone; the city would be almost safe now, and maybe with Tobias gone, they could live at UGA for a while, rest up before moving on again. That vision with Clem's radio had to mean something, and if Lee and the others were still out there, he had to find them again, no matter the cost. Of course, a part of him deep down wondered if Wolffe and the soldiers at UGA knew what Tobias had been doing, but that was a river he'd cross some other time, just like the thoughts of finding Lee again. For now, they were alive, and despite his friend's dickiness, he was glad to see Steve again. It was like running into an old friend at the store, after so long with no contact. But it did raise some questions in his mind: if Steve was in this world, was Josh here too? Was there something about their old apartment that transported them to this world? Or was it Dominic's newfound powers? Did he somehow whisk them away to this world, or were Steve and Josh Travelers too? So many questions burned in his mind that he simply didn't have an answer to.

These questions continued to flash through his mind as he opened the refrigerator in the kitchen, holding his nose with his free hand as the rotten smell of months old food filled his nostrils. There was packages of lunch meat, various types of fruits and vegetables; _one of the boy's must've been on a health kick_ ; boxes of oreos and cookies, and an entire shelf filled with bottles of alcohol. He grabbed a large bottle filled with a clear liquid in it, reading the label as he weighed it in his hands. Absolut Vodka. _This'll do._ He closed the fridge as quickly as he could, taking in a deep breath as he withdrew from the box of death. He set the bottle down on the granite island behind him before moving on to the bathroom situated underneath the stairs.

The darkness within forced him to switch on his flashlight once more; at the rate he was having to use the damn thing, he'd need new batteries soon. Putting the flashlight between his teeth, he pulled open the medicine cabinet behind the mirror, barely catching a glimpse of the splotches of blood on his face from killing Tobias. He merely wiped them off with a towel sitting above the toilet before returning his attention to the medicine cabinet. The cabinet held items he was expecting from a frat house: ibuprofen and naproxen for headaches, some omeprazole, and (as his smiled widened on his face) a box of gauze. _Jackpot._ He returned to the living room with his findings, sitting down on the wooden coffee table placed in front of the couch Molly reclined on.

"Find what you're looking for, Dr. Dom?" Molly deadpanned as Dominic laughed, pulling out the roll of gauze and ripping off a small strip before opening the bottle of vodka. He unwrapped the jacket from around her ankle as he smiled once more.

"Just like that time in the forest huh?" Dominic offered as he held the strip of gauze to the bottle of alcohol, soaking it in the foul-smelling liquid.

"Hey, that was _entirely_ your fault," she reminded him.

"Should've known the guy would pull on us," Dominic laughed as he returned his eyes to the wound, cringing slightly at the sight of the hole, which slowly seeped out blood from deep within the meat and bone. "We needed the food anyway," he looked back up at her, soaked gauze in hand, as she waved her hand in the air to dismiss his next statement.

"Yeah, yeah, it's going to hurt like a bitch, I know," she braced herself as he applied pressure to the wound with the soaked cloth, gasping with pain as her nerves sparked with an unbearable pain. " _Fuck sake_ , do you have to push on it so hard?!"

"Probably not," Dominic mused with a smile as he continued to rub the gauze on the exit wound on the other side of her ankle. She definitely got lucky, the bullet didn't pierce her bones, although she probably wouldn't be able to walk without a limp in her step for months, if not years to come.

Her cries of pain softened as Dominic wrapped fresh gauze around her ankle, going around her leg several times before ripping off the roll with his teeth. He fished out a roll of tape from his backpack to secure the cloth down before finally taking in a deep breath. The tension in the air returned as he sat back on the coffee table, returning the roll of gauze to its box and holding the bottle of vodka in his hands, slowly spinning it in his hands without much thought.

His thoughts instead focused on the last moments he spent with Molly just before going out on that run with Tobias, and what he did. She didn't seem to be staring at him with a disgusted look, which he took as a good sign, but the fact they weren't talking about it put him on edge when he was around her. It's as if it almost never happened, but it obviously did, and it showed through the fidgeting of their arms when around each other and the awkward silences that took over the cadence as they tried to find something to say. Sometimes he couldn't think of anything to say at all, and he just sat there twiddling his thumbs as Steve's footsteps upstairs echoed above them. So far the man hadn't come across anything, at least not that Dominic could hear, which allowed him to relax a little bit. Knowing that they were safe for the time being was always a calming feeling.

"So, uh," Molly's voice sounded almost as awkward as Dominic felt. "So what's the plan tomorrow then? Head back to UGA?"

"Yeah," He sighed, rubbing his legs as they ached with a dull pain. "I think we've earned a bit of a rest for a while, after everything we've been through today."

"Hell of a fucking day alright," she muttered as she shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. "Remind me to never let you go out on runs ever again."

He let out a short laugh. "Yeah, good luck with that. Somebody's gotta do all the heavy lifting, and I don't trust Steve to do it."

"You don't have to do it all alone, Dominic," she stated flatly as she stared up at him. "I'm not some preppy girl who can't even lift a finger for anything but to have her fingernails manicured. Hell, I'm pretty sure I'm stronger than you."

"Gee, thanks," he muttered with a smile as she continued.

"You have this problem with wanting to do everything yourself. You want to lead, you want to find us food, water, shelter. You want to protect us. Seriously Dominic, you can't do everything yourself. That's a one way ticket to losing your mind," she finished her lecture with a sigh. "That's why I told you to step back, not because I think you can't handle leadership, and not because of the bandit. Frankly, I really didn't care about what you did to that bandit, what irked me was that you did it while Clementine was bleeding out and a stone's throw away from a herd of walkers. I probably would've done the same thing in your shoes but… just let me help you, okay? Stop trying to be goddamned Superman."

"Well look at that, Molly's being sentimental now. That's new," he smirked as she let out a soft growl of annoyance.

"Do you want me to kick your ass?"

"Not particularly," he replied, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

"Then fuck off with your 'being sentimental' shit," she shot back with a smile just as wide as his. The silence once again returned as Dominic pushed himself off of the coffee table and sat at the free end of the couch, relaxing into the soft leather as the fatigue started to wear on him. He picked up the bottle from the table again, his eyes remaining on the liquid before he uncapped the bottle again, sipping some unconsciously. He could hear Molly's laugh as he gagged, the strong taste of ethanol making his nose crinkle as he gulped the foul liquid down, coughing violently for a moment.

"You're not good with alcohol are you?" She roared with laughter as she watched him cough like a dying man. He sent a glare in her direction before gulping down another swig, joining her in a chorus of laughter.

"One time, my sister made me this big drink for New Years," He started, setting the bottle down between his legs as he tapped the lid. "And I'm talking _big_. She filled it like two-thirds full of vodka, and poured in some gatorade with it. It tasted like I was drinking rubbing alcohol. To say the least, it took a while for me to finish the damn thing, but boy, did that make playing Alien: Isolation fun."

"Isn't that the horror movie franchise?" She asked as he passed her the bottle, taking a swig for herself without missing a beat.

"Yeah, this was a pretty new game at the time. Scared the shit out of me even without the alcohol. Since then, I haven't really had much love for alcohol. But, hell, we survived a goddamn explosion, might as well celebrate a little," he took the bottle as she reached it out to him. "At least we get to enjoy it before Steve finds it. Fuckin' thing will be gone before we even get a chance to get another swig."

"Did I hear the word 'alcohol'?" Steve called from the stairs as he ran down them two at a time.

"Told you," Dominic muttered as he gulped down a big swig before reaching out the bottle to Steve. "Save some for us at least."

He stared down at the bottle. "You're just drinking straight up vodka? Jesus Christ, Dominic."

"Well, go check out the fridge and see if there's anything else to mix it with then," Dominic muttered with a faint smile. The British man immediately walked off to the kitchen, opening the fridge. Dominic laughed as he heard the man wretch in horror at the smell.

"Fuck sake, Dominic! This isn't funny!" Steve growled, his voice nasally as he held his nose.

Dominic smiled at Molly as he relaxed back into the cushions, resting his hands behind his back as he deadpanned. "At least we've got him around for entertainment."

"Fuck you, Dominic," Steve sighed as he returned to the living room with a bottle of gatorade that he found in the back of the fridge. Dominic and Molly exchanged a glance as the man placed three glasses on the table, pouring the vodka into each before pouring some of the gatorade in. He slumped into the bean bag next to the couch as Dominic reached out for two of the glasses and handed one to Molly. Steve stared at the glass in his hand with a quizzical look before sighing. "It's been awhile since I've had a drink," he muttered, looking up at Steve with an annoyed gaze. "Why the fuck did I let you convince me to come to this country?"

"Hey, it was your idea," Dominic retorted as he sipped on the drink, gagging a little at the taste of old gatorade mixed in with the vodka.

"I guess we're both terrible at coming up with good ideas," The Brit mumbled before downing the whole drink in one gulp. "I still can't get over the fact you wanted to blow up a fucking school just to kill bandits. I never expected you to be the terrorist type."

"It's only terrorism if you're doing it without justification," Dominic shot back as he spun the glass in his hands, staring at it blankly.

"Tell that to Al-Qaeda," Steve laughed before pouring himself another cupful.

Dominic held back a snort as he sipped on his drink. "You're making me wonder what happened to them after all of this shit went down. Think they're still trying to terrorize western civilization?"

Steve shrugged. "With society crumbling down like a stack of cards, I doubt they can even get out of their country, let alone across the pond."

"I kind of feel bad for the soldiers stuck in Iraq when this shit went down. It was 2003 when it all started up, so I think we were in full-scale attack mode on them at the time," Dominic mused as he set down the glass.

"God, you two are bringing back flashbacks," Molly muttered as she gulped down the rest of her drink, glaring at them for talking about something so random and pointless.

"Whoa wait, 2003? Seriously? You're kidding right?" Steve's eyes grew in size as he spoke.

"Nope, we're back in time," Dominic confirmed as he poured himself another glass. "Don't know how, don't know why. Still trying to figure it all out."

"You're full of shit," Steve muttered.

"No, he's right," Molly interrupted.

"Fucking hell," The Brit breathed as he stared down at the cup in his hands. "On top of a zombie apocalypse, we're back in time. Great. It's fucking Doctor Who all over again."

The wind howled with intense ferocity as the snowstorm outside continued to get worse. The temperature in the house dropped every couple of minutes, to the point they were starting to shiver in the half-darkness. The bottle of vodka was nearly half empty now, but as the conversation ended, the drinking stopped. The awkward silences were starting to make Dominic feel uncomfortable. Perhaps that, along with the alcohol in his system, was why he broke the silence with a single phrase, uttered almost inaudibly over the howling gales.

" _I killed Tobias._ "

"You what?" Steve and Molly nearly shouted in sync as they turned to look at him. He had a hard, distant stare on his face as he set down the glass on the coffee table in front of him.

"You _dense_ motherfucker!" Steve shouted as he stood up, his movements slowed and swaying compared to what they once were. "Why the fuck did you do that?! If Wolffe finds out-!"

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Steve," Dominic snapped as he stared up at his friend with a death glare that froze his friend to stone, rising to meet Steve's gaze. "You say I'm dense, but apparently I'm the sanest, smartest motherfucker left in this goddamn world." He pointed his finger at Steve as he continued his rant. "You think I killed him for my amusement?! That motherfucker gave people away as food! Children! For fuck sake, am I the only one with a heart?! You see a fucker give children away to cannibals, you fucking **KILL** that son of a bitch! It ain't that hard to understand, even for you! I just felt that you guys deserved to know!"

"How do you even know he did that?!" Steve roared incredulously. "Did he tell you, or was it those bastards?!"

"Don't pull the 'not enough evidence' card!" Dominic couldn't hold it back anymore, he took a step towards Steve, fists clenched. "I **SAW** the heads of the people he gave away; the fact UGA is still standing means it **HAD** to be someone on the inside. Even _if_ Simmons didn't tell me it was Tobias, I still would've figured it out! Hell, I bet the whole fucking squad there knew about it." He took in a deep breath as Steve's eyes narrowed, not believing a word his friend was saying. "They think they can get away with it, because they're soldiers, but guess fucking what? The government doesn't exist anymore, they're just survivors now. They're _**NOT**_ above us. So yes, Steve, I _**fucking**_ killed Tobias, and if Wolffe knew about it, I'll kill him too. And if you don't agree with that, then there's the door. Bye."

The silence went from awkward to suffocating as Steve merely huffed, turning to look at Molly, who stared back at them with surprise with how quickly the merry conversations turned into a shouting match. "What about you? You think your boyfriend did the right thing?!"

"Don't you start yelling at me," Molly growled as she sat up, her leg still feeling as if it was on fire as her movements forced the wound to scrape against the leather couch. "If Tobias really was giving people away as food, then he deserved it."

"Hah, figures. You start fucking and suddenly all morality is thrown out the window," Steve pushed away from Dominic, stomping towards the foyer and up the stairs.

Dominic didn't move as he watched his friend go. He didn't care if Steve didn't agree with him, he knew what he did was the right thing. Steve would just have to get over it. He turned back to Molly with a sigh as she gazed up at him.

"You really do have a way of pissing people off, don't you?"

"Did you really mean it?" Dominic mumbled as he slumped back onto the couch, his eyes going back to her as she bit her lip.

"I think you did the right thing, although maybe your execution leaves a little bit to be desired. Let me guess," she sighed. "You needed him for the bombs, so you kept him alive just to make sure the Hunters couldn't come after us?"

"Yeah." The sighs started to feel like routine as he laid his head in the palms of his hands. "I did what I thought would get us out of there alive. He couldn't come with us, not after what he did. I didn't want him around Clementine. If he was so willing to trade his morals for survival, then he deserved worse than a bullet."

The world stopped around him as the silence started to feel like a blessing rather than a curse. He hardly noticed when Molly put her arm around him, or the sound of her voice as she tried to calm him down. He just wanted this night to be over, and for the first time in a long time, he felt himself slip away into himself, his arms wrapped around his knees as he continued to stare at the bottle sitting on the table in front of him. He didn't even know when his eyelids shut, or the sudden passage of time as he laid his head against the pillow leaning on the armrest of the couch. Perhaps it was for the best that way.


	32. Homecoming

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 4: Judge, Jury, Executioner**

 **Chapter 32: Homecoming**

* * *

 **Day 498**

By morning the blizzard dumped nearly four inches of snow onto the sleeping city of Athens. Dominic roamed around the backyard of the fraternity, his bloodied jacket being the only thing keeping him from shivering uncontrollably in the late morning frost. He knelt next to the rotting corpses of the fraternity's once proud members, unearthing their bodies in the snow with a pair of leather gloves one size too large for his hands. The cadavers didn't have much left on them: lighters, wallets, and some with pictures of girlfriends in their back pockets. He took the lighters, silently hoping that maybe they still worked as he tossed them into his backpack.

They were going to be leaving soon. Steve continued to scour the place for anything useful or hidden, while Molly rested until they left. Her wounds had finally stopped bleeding, but Dominic was worried that the trek back to UGA could cause her further injury. They were only about a twenty minute walk away from the university, but so many things could go wrong in that twenty minutes. He looked up to to the billowing white smoke coming from where Zone 2 once was in the distance. He doubted that all of the walkers in the city were caught in that explosion, and surely the noise of it would draw in more, so they definitely weren't out of the woods yet.

Steve hadn't said more than two words to Dominic since their heated argument the night before. It surprised Dominic that the Brit cared so much about him killing Tobias. It felt like he was still clinging onto an outdated sense of morality, whereas Dominic knew that some people had to die in order to protect the whole group. The fact that Steve seemed to be okay with the deaths of thirty or so bandits, but not one soldier that was basically those bandits' delivery boy, struck him as odd. What was the difference between a bandit and a traitor? Dominic let out a heavy sigh as he pushed himself to his feet, slipping on his backpack. Steve would soon learn that his way of doing things would only get them killed, as Dominic wouldn't let his old friend's ancient morals doom them all. Steve hadn't spent enough time out in the real world, and Dominic intended to make him change.

He rubbed his temple as his headache flared. _Perhaps drinking wasn't such a good idea after all._ He groaned and massaged his shoulder blades as he turned towards the house, the billowing white smoke from Zone 2 filling the air with towering clouds, like a beacon over the city, just visible over the edges of the fraternity's roof. He took in the sight before stepping towards the house. His foot kicked one of the toppled bottles as he opened the door, catching a glimpse of Steve coming down the stairs as Dominic strolled over to the couch Molly rested on, while eating a twinkie she had fished out of her backpack. She glanced at him for a second before taking another bite out of the treat.

Dominic rubbed the back of his neck as he broke the ice. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone's digging a hole in my leg with a hammer and nail," she deadpanned as she finished the rest of the dessert, and looking back up at him. "Other than that, I think I can make it back in one piece."

"Just let me know if you need a break," he continued. "I don't want you collapsing if we run into walkers."

She nodded briefly as Dominic turned away, heading into the kitchen where Steve searched the pantries, stuffing cans of food and other odds and ends that he found worthwhile into his backpack. Dominic watched him with a raised eyebrow as he crossed his arms against his chest and leaned against the island behind the British man.

"I'm surprised how much was left in this place," Steve hissed as he turned to gaze at Dominic, who was more surprised that his friend decided to speak to him first.

"Maybe we just got lucky and the Hunters and UGA never found the house," Dominic mused, his eyes lolling over towards the back door before Steve's huff of laughter brought him back to the man.

"UGA maybe, but the Hunters? They were probably too busy eating people to notice this on their front door… either that or they're idiots." Steve muttered, his hands still shoving things into his backpack.

"I'm leaning towards the latter on that one," Dominic laughed, relaxing slightly as the tension from last night seemed slowly dissipate in the air. "So you about done searching then? We need to head out soon."

"Not much left," Steve sighed, pointing towards his backpack as he zipped it up and slipped it on. "Can't carry much more anyway."

"Alright then, I'll go help-" Dominic's statement was cut off by a hand grabbing his shoulder. He turned to see Molly leaning against him.

She joined the conversation with a wry comment. "Beat you to it, Dom. Let's just get going." She gasped, her fingers clenched around his shoulder, and a sly but pained smile etched across her lips.

The two men nodded as Dominic wrapped an arm around her, while Steve pulled the door open and headed out into the chill morning air. The journey ahead was short, but untold dangers lurked across the wasteland of Athens even now. Dominic could only hope that their luck won't run out now, after everything they've been through to get here.

* * *

The world seemed to come alive around Clementine as she slowly began to regain consciousness. Loud footfalls and soft conversation wafted through the dormitory door Clementine found herself in. She yawned before stretching her muscles, looking up at the tiled ceiling tiredly before examining her surroundings. About a dozen makeshift beds were set up in the classroom, some of them still occupied by other survivors at the camp. The dormitories were set up for those that didn't have the privilege of having their own rooms, like Clementine. The ones who got their own rooms, as Chloe had explained the night before, were the ones with large families, or those who didn't get along with others. Clementine gazed around the room for the woman in question, finally finding her in the dim light standing by one of the windows overlooking the plaza. As Clementine's feet reached the floor with a soft thud, Chloe's head swiveled in her direction, a soft smile on her face as she watched the little girl join her at the window.

"How'd you sleep?" Chloe whispered, trying not to wake anyone else in the small room. Clementine stretched her tiny muscles again as she let out another yawn.

"Good," she mumbled groggily, smiling at her new friend as they returned their attention to the window. The plaza below was much quieter than usual; it seemed that the residents of UGA liked to sleep in, or maybe it was the fear of a threat coming in the night following the explosion across town. Clementine could only make out a few faces strolling through the yard, most of them in uniform, and weapons in hand. She watched as the soldiers marched across the yard and to their respective guard posts along the fenceline, where they watched the street beyond for any incoming threats. So far the world beyond the walls looked almost empty, to Clementine's surprise. After the explosion, she expected to see hordes of them stumbling towards the inferno in the distance, but there was not a single walker out there, at least in the vicinity of UGA. Maybe that meant whatever had happened across town, the herd of walkers got caught in it, and the streets beyond were safe, for now.

"It's quiet today," Chloe spoke, interrupting Clementine's thoughts. She looked up at her friend with a soft smile before returning her eyes to the streets beyond.

"Yeah, it's… nice," the little girl answered with a small shrug, her head gently shifting to one side. They stood by the window in silence for a few minutes before something in the distance caught Clementine's eye. She smiled as a dose of adrenaline hit, and she pushed past Chloe, running for the door.

* * *

The majority of the trek back to UGA was uneventful. Molly's breathing became erratic as the flares of pain from each step coursed through her body; she didn't know how much more she could take before needing a break. Dominic continuously switched between staring down the street ahead and glancing at Molly with a worried gaze. The gauze around her leg was slowly being colored a dull crimson around the wound, but, to Dominic's relief, didn't seep all the way through the bandage. Her face had began losing its color, her lightly tanned tone bleaching out into a pasty gray, and her body quivering; whether it was due to pain, freezing weather, or all of the above, he couldn't pinpoint it. Yet, the woman trudged on alongside him through the snow without a word, soldiering on until they could finally reach home. Steve held onto his shotgun firmly as he stomped ahead of them, his facial expressions unreadable by his two companions as he continued to swivel his head side to side, looking for potential threats.

With the harsh conditions, even Dominic found it difficult to keep going, the bone-chilling gusts of wind and the numbing cold of snow beneath their feet slowing them down with each passing minute. The cut on Dominic's face felt like he was getting slapped by every passing gale, reaching deep into the recesses of the wound; he could only imagine how Molly felt. He shivered as he zipped up his jacket further, the thin hoodie doing barely anything to keep him warm and protect him from the almost arctic weather.

He couldn't help but think that the weather over the past couple of days had been extremely strange. What could have possibly happened that could create such a terrible snowstorm like the one they experienced last night? It was about late November or early December as far as he could tell, and Georgia was renowned for its hot, humid weather. He didn't even want to know how it was further north, near Wellington. Hell, if he wasn't already skeptical of the idea, he would say that somehow they were about to enter some sort of miniature ice age, but it was obvious that was jumping the gun a little.

He let out a sigh of relief as the fenceline of UGA came into view in the distance, resting just below the hill they found themselves on. They could see figures moving about the camp like bees moving from one point to the next; the usual bustle was a constant in the camp it seemed. The barricades blocking off the roads leading to the camp laid a few feet away from the curvature of the hill, making the road feel more like a water slide for a giant than a once busy thoroughfare. Dominic smiled as a single thought crossed his mind. They were home.

" _ **Finally!**_ " Steve cheered as he rolled his shoulders slightly, the heavy backpack digging into his shoulder blades with each step. He turned to glare at Dominic with a small smile, commenting in a sarcastic tone. "Why am I the one carrying everything anyway?" Dominic laughed before shooting his friend a bemused gaze. "Seriously," Steve continued without missing a beat. "It's heavy."

"I thought you people in Europe were supposed to be fit," Molly sneered between heavy breaths, leaning against Dominic harder as a slight misstep sent her foot sliding in the snow, and agitating her wound.

The Brit's body stiffened as he glared at her incredulously. "Firstly," he began, the friendly tone now gone as he placed his hands on his hips. "Britain is _ **not**_ part of Europe. Secondly-"

"He's an asshole who sits on his ass all day playing video games," Dominic finished with a smile.

Steve scoffed at his friend's comment as they reached the outer barricade. "Says you."

They avoided the undead cadavers reaching out for them, their rotten bodies speared through by the spikes on the barricade, like a bunch of human kebabs, as the survivors lulled to the right, directly towards a crumbling two-story brick home. Steve hopped gracefully up the steps to the porch two at a time before opening the door and holding it open for Dominic and Molly. He took one last glance at the growling walkers as his two companions limped past him. He shut the door a few seconds later, the low groans of the undead still audible despite the sudden enclosure.

"So, oh _wise_ leader," Steve deadpanned as they crossed the living room and into the kitchen, then through the door leading to the backyard. "What's the plan once we get back? Overthrow Wolffe and the soldiers and proclaim yourself the true king of Skyrim?"

Dominic glared at him before bursting out with laughter. "God, no. But Molly and Clem will need some rest to heal. Not to mention we've still got to deal with the possibility that the soldiers were working with the Hunters. If they were-"

"So basically, yes, he's going to overthrow Wolffe and the soldiers, and proclaim himself king," Molly finished for him, shooting Dominic a sly grin.

" _If they_ _ **were**_ ," Dominic repeated, trying to mask his smile as he continued. "We high tail it out of here, take a car and some supplies, and hit the road."

"So we're stealing now?" Steve gave him a ' _Really? Low blow, man._ ' look as they continued their trek, pushing open the gate and into the safer streets within the barricade.

Dominic shrugged with one shoulder. "Better than starving and dying," Dominic shot back in a neutral tone. "And the fact I don't really want to walk around for another year."

"I second that," Molly quipped, briefly entering the conversation again before the pain in her leg forced a grimace out of her. At this rate, she might as well just not talk, but Dominic's and Steve's continued arguments grated on her nerves.

They continued in silence, their soft footfalls in the snow the only sound reaching their ears as they approached the camp. As they drew closer, a soldier standing watch on his lookout post noticed them, and peered down the scope of his rifle, and only lowering it when Dominic waved awkwardly in greeting. The soldier reached for his radio, and spoke into it inaudibly as the three survivors approached the main gate.

The large chain-link entrance screeched open, revealing the plaza within, which appeared to be slowly coming to life as the residents started their day, although most of the activity in the yard was only a couple of soldiers bustling about. It was becoming obvious that there weren't a lot of soldiers left; the run into No Man's Land claimed five lives, and then Tobias after that, so that left only around nine soldiers to protect thirty civilians. At this rate, they would probably have to start training civilians to protect the camp; if they didn't, they risked losing everything if a herd ploughed through, or if bandits attacked.

"Molly! Dominic!" The merry cheers of a young girl reached Dominic's ears, which caused his smile to widen by its own accord. He watched as Clementine pushed through the crowds filing out of the main entrance to the university and ran towards them. She was dressed in a thick black and white coat, with her signature hat haphazardly placed on her head. Both young adults opened their arms to receive the little girl in a tight hug. Molly let out a slight 'oof!' as the force of the hug nearly toppled her over.

"Hey girl," Dominic whispered happily as he patted the back of Clementine's head. "Long time, no see!"

"I thought you were dead!" She blubbered before pulling away, only then noticing Molly's injury. Her eyes went wide as Molly raised a hand to reassure the little girl.

"I'll be fine, Clem," the woman cooed, trying her best to _look_ fine, although she didn't really feel like it. "It's nice to see that you're alright though," she added with a smile, her eyes trailing down to where the little girl had been shot the day before. "How's your stomach feeling?"

"It still hurts a little," Clementine replied, feeling the healing wound on her side before twiddling her fingers while she clasped her hands together. The wound flared with pain every once in awhile, but she didn't care; she was just happy to see her friends again. A soft chuckle from behind her friends caught everyone's attention, as a man with glasses gazed at Dominic with a smirk.

"Heh, perfect little family you've got here, Dominic." Steve sneered playfully from where he was handing over his shotgun to one of the soldiers. "Seems like they've got a knack for getting shot." He continued in a deadpan.

Dominic let out a short laugh as he zipped down his jacket and pulled the collar of his button-up shirt, revealing the healing gunshot wound he received from Lilly over a year ago. "I was first."

"Why am I not surprised? ...And why didn't I get the honor of shooting you first?" His smirk widened as his joke hung in the air. The soldier that collected his weapons moved on to Dominic and Molly. Molly and Dominic both hesitated for a moment, but gave up their weapons anyway. The woman stared at her pickaxe longingly as the soldier muttered his thanks and strolled off towards the building.

"I didn't want to give you the satisfaction," Dominic sneered with a smile as he returned his attention to his friend.

"Well, next time I expect-" Dominic tuned out Steve's continuous jokes as he took in the camp around him. Everything seemed to be just like it was before he left, which didn't surprise him, but deep down, he found himself thinking how lucky these people really were. The herd that hit Zone 2 the night before could have just as easily tore down this place, but instead, everything seemed to be working out in his favor. However, it was only a matter of time before shit hit the fan again, as it always did. His thoughts were interrupted when he caught a glimpse of a woman, Chloe if he remembered correctly, strolling towards them. She smiled in Clementine's direction as she approached, scratching the back of her neck nervously.

"I kept an eye on her while you were gone," The woman spoke as she took in their injuries and beat up appearances. Dominic's face had a faint tint of crimson to it, bringing back memories of the first time she saw him the day before. Molly seemed fine, besides the injury on her leg; her black and white windbreaker was covered in snow and dirt. "For a bit, I thought you guys might not be coming back." She finished, still kind of nervous around these two, but their faint smiles quickly subdued her anxiousness.

"Yeah, frankly I thought the same thing for a while," Dominic sighed, reaching out his hand. "Thanks for looking out for Clem. We appreciate it." Molly nodded her agreement as Chloe continued to scratch the back of her neck before shaking Dominic's hand.

"No problem," she replied simply, trying not to be grossed out by the sticky feeling of blood on the man's hands. "Any time you need a babysitter, just let me know. She's a good kid."

"We'll do that." Dominic said with a smile, disarming Chloe further before she turned to gaze at Steve, who was massaging his shoulders gently before returning her gaze.

"Sup Steve?"

"Eh," He replied with a sigh, rolling his shoulders, "I'm fucking freezing my balls off out here." She laughed in agreement before walking off, back towards the building towering over the plaza.

"Where's Tobias and others?" A new voice broke up the happy reunion; the group turned to see Sergeant Wolffe sauntering towards them, a quizzical look on his face as he readjusted his glasses. Dominic's smile fell into a frown.

"They didn't make it," He explained, his voice lowering as he feigned a look of sorrow. "The Hunters killed them all."

"Damn it," Wolffe sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's- fuck. Alright… what about the Hunters then?"

"Gone."

He nodded solemnly before gazing at Molly's injury for a moment, then returning his gaze to Dominic. "We'll get Ainsworth to take a look at that. Afterwards, meet me in my office. We need to talk."

Dominic nodded in understanding before muttering "Sure." His eyes narrowed as Wolffe went back towards the university, then glanced over at Molly as she repositioned her arm around him, trying to lessen the weight on her injured leg. "C'mon," he breathed, "let's get you to the library."

* * *

Dominic pushed through the library door, Molly's arm still wrapped around his shoulders as Steve and Clementine followed shortly behind them. The Brit sent several worried glances in Molly's direction, as Clementine looked up at her enlarged group with wide eyes. She got her friends back, but at a cost.

The library was bursting with activity as they entered, a pair of men in uniform moving from one bed to another as they checked in on their patients, their faces covered with white surgical masks. The entire west wing of the library was blocked off by a roll of red tape stating 'Quarantine Zone'. Dominic gulped as he watched one of the soldiers pull out a knife and bury it in the head of an unmoving figure across the hall, just within the quarantine zone. The man's head was laid on an upright pillow, his eyes open and bloodshot as blood seeped from them and ran down his cheeks.

"Doc?!" Dominic yelled the doctor's title over the noise of the triage center, both determination and fear rising in his voice, but the man in question was nowhere in sight. They took a few more hesitant steps into the room, the sight of the quarantined section and the horrible smell of feces and death made the group rethink their decision to come here.

" _Jesus_ ," Steve muttered as he covered his nose. "It smells like your mum in here."

"I-it's probably just you," Molly sneered through a forced smirk, her body growing more and more fatigued the further she pushed herself.

He stifled a laugh before shooting his own sarcastic remark back, "funny." As they stepped deeper into the library, his eyes lingered on the deceased body the soldier put down, who was now being dragged out and through the back entrance. The blood from his eyes smeared down his face in thick trails, like some sort of gruesome war paint. "Holy shit…!"

"Ah, Dominic! Molly! Lovely to see you two again, and in one piece!" The light treble of Doctor Ainsworth's voice pierced the air behind them. They turned to see the man adjusting his glasses before taking in their appearances, and pulling down the surgical mask that had been covering his face. "And hello again, little one! I was wondering where you had run off to. And Steven… my, I simply don't get to see you that much anymore. Where've you been?"

"She's been shot through the ankle," Dominic interrupted in a harsh tone, trying his best to skip the pleasantries and get on with treating Molly. The man's eyes fell to the woman's leg; the gauze that Dominic applied that morning was stained a faint crimson due to the woman's excruciating journey to get home.

He chewed on his lip as he scratched at his five o'clock shadow of a beard. "Damn, okay… get her over to a bed. I'll be right over to take a look at her." He weaved past them as he spoke, ducking into the room they saw the deceased man before, and slipping back on his surgical mask over his mouth and nose as he moved. Dominic exchanged a glance with Steve, who sighed with annoyance.

"Fine," he groaned as he helped Molly towards the nearest bed. Clementine remained next to Dominic for a moment before he motioned for her to follow Steve. After watching Clementine enter the cubicle where Steve took Molly, he went after the doctor, waiting outside of the quarantine zone for a minute before the man appeared again, peeling off his mask as he stepped under the red tape.

"What's up with that guy? Some sort of sickness?" Dominic asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the bookshelf behind him. A flash of emotion crossed Ainsworth's face as he frowned.

"It's some kind of flu strain, I think. Best to stay away from them. I'm doing all I can to treat it, but it's proving to be a bit difficult to keep contained." The man replied, sounding almost defeated as he looked at the man in front of him.

Dominic's frown deepened, his instincts telling him to leave the library immediately. "Are we safe to be in here with them?" He grunted.

"I've got them quarantined in that section over there," The doctor stated as he ducked into another cubicle, grabbing a med kit sitting on a maple end-table next to the empty bed. "Just make sure to wear a mask if you go near them." He continued, his eyes hardened as he stepped past Dominic and back towards the cubicle where Molly was waiting, who peered up at the ceiling with a blank look, bored out of her mind, no doubt. He unwrapped the gauze from around her leg, examining it with a neutral expression. At last, he sighed. "You're lucky, the bullet not only went clean through, but missed the fibula bone by centimeters. Whoever patched you up did a fair job at it, although I'm going to clean your wound again to make sure it doesn't get infected. Although, I do have some bad news... you'll probably need to go through some physical therapy before you'll be able to walk on it normally again. Those muscles will need time to heal and regenerate."

"What if something happens and she needs to run? Could she do it?" Dominic interrupted, not particularly wanting to know the answer, even though he already had a vague idea of what the doctor was about to say.

The man shrugged as he pulled out a bottle of alcohol from the medkit. "I wouldn't advise it. Running on the leg right now would only damage it further, she'll need to rest for a while first before even attempting to walk on it, let alone run." He turned his attention to the woman in question, who massaged her forehead as a headache began to flare; the fact she was more or less going to be bed-ridden and dealing with fucking physical therapists irked her more than the injury itself. "You'll also need some antibiotics. Amoxicillin maybe. It'll help fight infection, and we've got some ibuprofen in stock if you need to deal with the pain. And if it becomes too much for the ibuprofen, just let me know, and I'll get you some percocet."

Dominic bit his lip as the man continued to drag on to Molly about the medications she would need to take. The problem was that he didn't know if they were going to be staying at UGA much longer. If Wolffe and the soldiers knew about the missing survivors, then Dominic couldn't let them stay here. It was too dangerous. If these men were such cowards to let bandits bully them into slaughtering their own, then what would stop them from turning any of them over to save their own asses if _another_ group of bandits showed up? They couldn't just wait around for that. He had people to protect. He sighed, his arms instantaneously crossing themselves as he interrupted the doctor yet again.

"Just… do whatever you can for now, Doc. And thanks."

"It's no problem, really." Ainsworth replied as began to pour the alcohol on a pad, applying it to the woman's wound. "She'll be back on her feet in no time."

" **AGH** _**fuck**_ _sake_! I was hoping I was done with this shit," Molly cursed as the pain coursed through her leg, desperately trying to hold back the grunts. Dominic couldn't help but smile at her snarky comment before turning back to Steve, motioning for him to follow him out of the library. Clementine began to follow him too, but he stopped her.

"Stay with her, Clem," he insisted. "And don't go near the area marked by the red tape, okay?" He leaned to her eye level, looking her in the eye. She sighed, defeated.

"Okay."

He smiled before patting her cap gently. The two men stepped out into the hallway, and leaned against the concrete wall. Dominic felt a sense of deja vu overwhelm him as he found himself, once again, in this meeting spot.

The dilemma continued to wage a war in his mind. He knew there were only two choices that he could choose from if Wolffe and the soldiers were guilty of sacrificing people to the Hunters. Leave, or kill them. He didn't have the manpower to kill Wolffe, not without risking their lives if the other soldiers defended the man. Even if the other soldiers weren't involved, they would undoubtedly protect their leader. Leaving was the safest option, yet the risk of death remained. Herds of walkers, bandits, the ever-worsening elements… not to mention Molly's injury slowing them down, or worse, hurting her further. There was no correct choice, not that he could see anyway.

He sighed, massaging his forehead as he laid his face in the palms of his hands, mumbling into them, "I don't know what to do, Steve."

He could almost hear Steve shrug beside him. "It's not like you ever knew what you were doing anyway."

"C'mon man, it's not the time for that." Dominic sighed as he lifted his head and shot a half-serious glare in his friend's direction. "I'm just thinkin'... what if Wolffe and these guys knew? What do we do with that information with this whole Molly thing? She couldn't make it out there if we left. If we got cornered, and had to run… she just _wouldn't_ make it. And I can't just overthrow him. That would get too messy."

"They're both shitty ideas, so you just have to pick the least shitty of the two." Steve offered, his expression almost dismissive as he shrugged. "I mean, you're just assuming that we'll get cornered. What if we don't? And what if Wolffe really _didn't_ know?"

"Then all this worrying is for nothing," Dominic concluded with a sigh.

"Do you even know where we'd go if we left?" His friend asked, genuinely curious about what was going through his friend's mind.

Dominic shrugged, his eyes focusing on the tiled floor beneath him. The faint cracks between each tile, the black and white checkered pattern. Some things had an obvious answer, because some questions had easy solutions, but something like this? How could he know where to go?

"I don't know," he finally muttered. "It's too damn cold to move further north, so maybe south?"

Steve scoffed. "Oh God, do _not_ say what I think you're about to say."

Dominic held back a laugh. "What? Go to Texas? Hell no, do I look like I want to die of a heat stroke?" He stretched his muscles as he let out a soft sigh. "No, just head south a bit and wait the winter off. Maybe pass by Atlanta and scavenge some supplies. There's a lot of towns and land out there to find a new home. Somewhere warmer. That'd be the best choice. Maybe find somewhere secure, and out in the countryside, where the walker population isn't so dense."

"Like a prison?" Steve offered with a raised eyebrow.

Dominic shrugged for the umpteenth time. "Eh, maybe. Or a storage unit. Or anything with walls really. There's a whole world out there for the taking. And the longer this shit goes on, the more land opens up. If all else fails, we eventually head back north after winter is over. There's supposed to be a settlement up there, Wellington, that's supposed to be safe. I think it's actually not too far away from home."

"Up by Kent?"

"Yeah," Dominic affirmed, taking in a deep breath. "I don't know, we'll just have to see." He let out one final sigh before pushing himself off the wall, and stepping towards the way they came. As they approached the library door, he turned back to Steve, a grim look on his face. "Anyway, can you look after Molly and Clem while I talk to Wolffe?"

Steve groaned before finally nodding, his answer more of a sigh than actual words. "I guess."


	33. Sacrifices

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 4 - Judge, Jury, Executioner**

 **Chapter 33: Sacrifices**

* * *

Dominic's eyes lingered on the plaque with Lee's name on it as he approached Sergeant Wolffe's office. A part of him wanted to just back away, and leave without a word. But Wolffe needed to be confronted; he needed to know the truth, and so he pushed the door open, waltzing in at a slow pace as he analyzed the room. Two soldiers were moving about, hauling more crates out of the office, and to their destinations within the compound. Wolffe sat behind his desk, staring out the window towards the plaza below. He didn't even notice the boy's entrance, and only turned around when Dominic slammed his hands against the desk, leaning over it as he stared down the soldier.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Dominic muttered as he pushed away from the desk, taking a seat in a swivel chair sat opposite Wolffe's, then kicking his legs up onto the desk. Wolffe frowned before pushing the man's legs off.

"Yes..." He sighed as he took off his USMC cap and laid it on the table; he peered down at a piece of paper on his desk before returning his attention to Dominic, who merely awaited the man's upcoming speech. "Well, with Tobias and a good chunk of my squad gone, we're getting low on manpower. There's only nine of us now, and I was thinking about training some of the civilians to fight. To... create civilian militia of sorts."

"Seems like a good idea," Dominic muttered, massaging his back as he spoke. "Is that all you wanted to talk about then?"

"Well, I was thinking... with Tobias gone, maybe you should handle leading the militia?" He looked up at Dominic, who peered back, both shocked that Wolffe would suggest that he should lead anything, and fighting the urge to laugh at that same fact. Did he _really_ want Dominic leading any sort of squad? After the things he has done? Wolffe must have been more desperate than Dominic realized. He wouldn't consider it anyway, because if Wolffe was involved in the butchering of those people he found back at Zone 2, he wouldn't do a damn thing for this man. Dominic pushed himself out of his chair, and leaned over the desk again, struggling to come up with the words he had to say.

"Here's the thing, Wolffe. Before I even consider doing anything for you, I need to know one thing. _Just_ one." He took in a deep breath as the man's facial expression changed from desperation to one of interest. " _Did_ you know that Tobias was giving people to the Hunters as food?"

That question took the man by surprise, as he visibly reeled away from Dominic. His fingers tightened around the pencil he had in his right hand as he let out a deep sigh, almost too scared to speak with Dominic's death gaze piercing him. Instead, he stared down at the piece of paper in front of him, pretending to jot something down before looking up at the boy.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Wolffe," Dominic growled, already onto the man's schemes as his eyes started to search the area for some sort of weapon to use against the soldier, if necessary. "I can see it in your eyes. You fucking knew. Didn't you? You just let him give people away. _Children._ Just to save your own ass." When Wolffe refused to answer, Dominic let out a soft, but harsh laugh. "Figures. The best goddamn military force on Earth, beaten by their own people."

"S-sometimes we need to make sacrifices for the greater good!" Wolffe finally snapped, standing up to face the boy's gaze. Dominic laughed harshly, a twisted smile on his face as he leaned over the desk again, glaring directly into the man's eyes.

"The greater good be damned!" Dominic snapped back, his face just inches away from the soldier's. "You don't seem to get it anyway. Those people out there... _ **THEY'RE**_ the greater good, even the ones Tobias gave away. If you sacrifice your own people to save the rest, who are you really saving? Hell, eventually you would've run out of people to give away."

"What would you have me do?!" Wolffe roared, his face turning red. " **JUST LET THEM KILL US ALL?!** "

" **FIGHT BACK, FOR FUCK SAKE! YOU'RE THE UNITED MOTHERFUCKING STATES ARMY. I THINK YOU CAN HANDLE A BUNCH OF BANDITS!** "

The clash of kings came to a sudden standstill as Wolffe took a step back, breathing in as he tried to calm himself down. "People would die in the process, and I can't let that happen." He finished.

"So you would rather sacrifice your own people, willingly, than let it come to war," Dominic concluded, his voice cold as he held himself back, knowing that any minute he would pounce on the fool, and try to kill him. "You're weak, Sergeant. You know that, right?"

"I'm just doing what has to be done," Wolffe shot back meekly, staring out the window at the plaza below, and to where his wife and son were playing in the snow. Everything that he did was to protect them. He didn't care about anything else, or anyone else. He would sacrifice everything to keep them alive.

Dominic stifled a laugh as he pushed away from the desk, and marched back towards the towards the door. "Yeah, you keep tellin' yourself that." He growled.

"Hey!" The coward shouted for Dominic, who stopped to glare at the man with an intense glare. "What if it was _ **your**_ family on the line here? Huh?! What if just a few people had to die to make sure that Clementine and Molly lived?! I'm sure you've already had to deal with shit like that out there!" He stomped past his desk and towards Dominic, who remained glued to his spot as the man continued to shout in his face. "You would've done the same fucking thing!"

"Fuck you, Wolffe," Dominic spat out the man's name as it was a curse before yanking the door open, slamming it shut behind him.

* * *

"So… you and Dominic, eh?" Steve cooed in a sarcastic tone as he watched Ainsworth finish bandaging Molly's ankle. She shot knives at him with her eyes as she sat up in the bed, huffing at the remark. Clementine looked up at him with a quizzical look, before finally figuring out what the man meant a second later with a silent 'oh!'. She smiled slightly for a second before plopping down at the end of the bed.

"We're not together," Molly finally replied as Ainsworth bid his farewells, and informing them that he had to check on the other patients in the quarantine zone. Steve held back laughter as he watched her fidgeting movements.

"Yeah, bullshit," he shot back, not believing a single word she said. She may not know it yet, but she liked Dominic. He could see it in her eyes; hell, he saw that look enough times in his life to know it by heart. "You risked your life to save him, and dealt with his bullshit for a year without leaving him. You obviously like him, and he obviously likes you." He shrugged as he finished his statement. "Just a word of advise though: he won't tell you that he likes you. I basically had to force him to ask girls out when we roomed together. I mean, most of them said no, so I get why he's so shy. After all, he's fucking ugly."

"Why do you hate on him so much?" Molly asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to change the subject. "Did he, like, steal a girl from you or something?"

"Well, maybe once… or twice… **DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT** ," he stuttered out, scratching the back of his neck before trying to regain control over the conversation. He sighed as he realized his sudden outburst wasn't fooling anyone. "He's my mate. Mates insult each other, it's human nature."

"Whatever," Molly replied dismissively, turning her attention to Clementine, who peered up at Steve innocently. She opened her mouth to speak, a single question burning in her mind.

"You knew Dominic before this all happened?"

He let out a soft chuckle. "Did I know Dominic? Hah! What a silly question. I know him better than he knows himself. I know what he jac- err, likes, and what he hates. Basically, I know everything about him."

"So that means you're from the future too, right?" She asked, intrigued by this new discovery.

"I… guess?" He replied half-heartedly. He honestly didn't even believe they were back in time. Dominic was known to lie about shit to trick him, or simply joke about everything, so he didn't put it past him to try and trick him that they were back in time, so he just dismissed the idea as ludicrous and moved on. But if even this little girl, which he doubted was the lying type, thought that Dominic came from the future, then maybe it was true? If it was, then everything that Steve knew and wanted was about to crumble down around him: he would never see his family again, or anyone he knew for that matter. Hell, if this timeline coincided with theirs, there was the possibility they could exist out there as nine year old kids, along with every one of their friends from growing up, or, more likely, this timeline was an entirely separate universe altogether, and no one he knew existed at all. The paradoxes and the thought of being in another universe alone left his brain melting. _No. It can't be, they're lying, the whole lot of them._

"What was he like before all of this?" The little girl continued her barrage of questions, oblivious to the Brit's sudden mental breakdown.

"Kind of an asshole," he replied after a moment, shrugging at his own words, "and hard to get along with, but it's not like I had many other options."

"Knowing you, you probably had a hard time making friends," Molly deadpanned, entering the conversation with a smirk.

"That he did," another voice sneered, forcing all eyes in the tiny cubicle to swivel towards Dominic as he shut the curtain behind him, cutting them off from the rest of the medical center.

"About time you showed up," Steve muttered to his friend as he crossed his arms against his chest. "We were starting to wonder if you had killed Wolffe and took over as King already."

"Not quite yet," Dominic's voice lowered as he took a second to peer out of the curtain, making sure no one was nearby to hear them. When the coast was clear, he turned back to his group. "He _fucking_ knew about it. Admitted it once I grilled him hard enough. Said that he did it 'for the greater good'."

Steve frowned as anger flashed across Dominic's face. He knew what was about to happen, and he didn't like it, but if Wolffe _really_ said that, then these guys were a bit more twisted than he thought. For once, Dominic had a point. "That's bullshit. What happens when he runs out of people to give away? That's a stupid idea from the start."

Dominic stared at him, mouth agape. For once, it seemed that Steve agreed with him on something. "Yeah," he replied after a second of shock. "That's what I told him. He thinks he's justified, like sacrificing the few will save everyone else. He didn't understand that the Hunters wouldn't stop until every last one of them were dead. And that's why I've decided that we're not staying. We're leaving tonight."

"Whoa, hang on a second!" Steve hissed, trying to keep his voice low. "We talked about this, Dominic. We can't just waltz out the front door, say 'fuck the police', run away, and act like nothing happened! Molly _barely_ made it _**here**_ , she couldn't survive out there!"

"We've don't got much choice here, Steve! We can't stay here, and we can't kill Wolffe! Because, like it or not, if we tried to kill him, we'd only start a war with the soldiers! That'd be a war we can't win!"

Amidst the hushed arguments, Clementine stared at each participant with a shocked gaze. She didn't know the details of what they were arguing about (although she was sure Dominic would tell her later on), but whatever it was, it seemed to be a life or death situation. She cleared her throat, her lilted cough barely audible over their hissed conversation.

"We should leave," she finally spoke, breaking their argument, and forcing all eyes on her. She gulped as she realized that she now had the floor. "If it's not safe here, then we should leave," she affirmed, her voice shaky as her nerves began to fray from the sudden attention.

"I'll be fine, guys," Molly proclaimed, her eyes rolling as she watched the argument come to a sudden halt. "If we leave, we can make it work."

"You can't just suddenly get better and _walk_ across the goddamn country," Steve retorted, already fed up with the fact he found himself on the losing side once again.

"We don't need to," Dominic pointed out, sighing as he continued in a hushed whisper. "We'll steal a vehicle from them, a car, one of their trucks, whatever. We get our weapons back, take some supplies, and hit the road before anyone's the wiser."

"That's a lot of things to steal without anyone noticing, Dominic."

"We wait till nightfall, when the patrol shift changes, take what we can, and leg it. If it comes down to it, we'll use force. They can't keep us here, and I doubt they will want to. Wolffe will want me gone, knowing that I can blab about his betrayal, so they won't stop us from leaving," Dominic's eyes grew darker with each sentence as he hit the climax of his speech. "The point is, they _can't_ stop us. There's only nine of them now, and trying to protect this place spreads them thin. Not to mention the fact that they need to sleep, so we'll only have to deal with a couple of them at a time." He took a moment to let his words sink in. "We ain't staying here anymore, Steve, so pack your fucking bags."

Steve sighed as he pushed himself off of the bookshelf he was leaning against. He was outvoted three to one, what could he do? "Fine," he huffed, pushing past Dominic and towards the curtain. "And when we find ourselves out of gas and dying of starvation, don't say I didn't warn you."

He opened the curtain with a quick yank, revealing the figure of a woman standing just at the precipice of their cubicle. The entire group gaped at the young woman, Chloe, who reeled away from Steve due to the man's sudden action. The world seemed to stop around them as Dominic considered grabbing her and holding her mouth shut, but decided against it. After all, they weren't plotting a mutiny, they were just trying to leave. Steve, however, was the first to break the silence.

"Oh, hello there."

"What did he do?" Chloe whispered, her eyes wide as everyone stared at her.

Dominic sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, realizing that the can of worms that he had unleashed can't be contained anymore. "Wolffe had Tobias giving people away to the Hunters for food, to keep them from killing everyone in the camp. As far as I can tell, he'd given away two men, and a little girl."

That had her eyes bulging out of their sockets. "No way. No _fucking_ way!" She hissed, pushing Steve back into the cubicle, and shutting the curtain behind them. Everything was starting to make sense as she pieced each puzzle piece together in her mind. The missing people. The fact the Hunters suddenly stopped attacking them many months prior. The instantaneous flash of guilt that stuck Tobias' face when he passed by Barbara, who had lost her daughter to walkers several weeks ago. But now, the true fate of Abigail Washington had been revealed to her. She was sacrificed to _cannibals_ so those assholes, the soldiers, could survive. The thought sickened her. She let out a sigh, desperately trying to find something to prove Dominic's theory wrong, but her brain couldn't come up with any. " _Please_ tell me you're joking."

"Simmons, the man that was in charge of the Hunters, told me himself. I confronted Wolffe about it, and he all but threw in my face that he did it to protect the camp," Dominic confirmed, not missing a beat. The entire cubicle fell into silence as Chloe's shocked expression turned into one of hatred.

"Then I'm leaving with you."

* * *

Every day, it seemed that the sun would set a little earlier than the night before. The ball of fire would disappear beneath the the skyline by five in the afternoon, and by six, total darkness would smother the planet with its cool touch. Wolffe peered out at the city beyond their walls.

At night, the entire expanse of suburban wasteland was nothing but black silhouettes in the moonlight. No street lights or the occasional lamp in a window, just darkness and more darkness. Even the faint light he would see from Zone 2 was now gone, replaced by the barely visible smoke trail that drifted into the sky almost twenty-four hours after the event that caused it. The Hunters were really gone then. That thought alone let him relax a little as he slipped back into his seat behind his desk.

He was grateful that Dominic took care of the Hunters for him, even if, in the process, the man had found out about the horrible things Wolffe had done to protect UGA. And after their heated debate that morning, it seemed that Dominic had calmed down. They avoided each other as best they could, but occasionally, as Wolffe checked in on his family or gave orders to his men, he would catch a glimpse of Dominic leaning against the wall, observing him with a cold expression. What was the man planning? Would he inform the civilians about what happened? Or was he just bitter about it? He had no real way of knowing, and that thought alone killed him. Without him, UGA would crumble. The civilians would rise up against him, and they would have to either defend themselves, or be slaughtered their own people's frenzy. Either way would end in catastrophe, and he needed to stop that from happening.

He spun himself back towards his desk as the faint creak of his office door reached his ears. A single man entered the room, silhouetted by the dark room beyond the faint glimmer of light coming from the candle next to Wolffe. He crossed the expanse before standing, with his hands behind his back, in front of his commander. Wolffe gazed at his soldier with a grim expression.

"You called for me, sir?" The soldier spoke, interrupting the silence that had overwhelmed the room.

"Take a seat, Ethan" Wolffe let out a sigh as he twiddled his pen in his fingers before returning his gaze back to his newly promoted Corporal, who did as he was instructed without hesitation. The muscles in Wolffe's jaw tightened as he finally gave out his orders. "I need you to take care of Dominic for me."


	34. Judge, Jury, Executioner

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 4:** **Judge, Jury, Executioner**

 **Chapter 34: Judge, Jury, Executioner**

* * *

The dark hallway remained eerily silent as the group converged on their destination: the armory. Dominic's muscles tensed the closer they got to Wolffe's office as the possibility that they would be found before they were armed sent a spark of urgency throughout his body. The darkness of night covered their entrance, their forms barely silhouettes as they stepped through the hallway with the soft elegance of a house cat. The emergency lights within the school were noticeably missing, to conserve energy, most likely. The only indication they were in the hallway at all was their soft footsteps, barely reaching their ears as they took each step deliberately. Dominic and Chloe led the pack; the young woman informed them moments before that she could get them into the armory, having experience with picking locks in the past. Despite Dominic's hesitance to trust her at first, that skill would come in handy, and she _did_ take care of Clementine for him while he was gone, so he needed her. He just hoped that she knew what she was doing, and that she wouldn't become a liability out there beyond the walls. Behind them, Steve helped Molly along, while Clementine clung to the woman's opposite side, just to make sure she wouldn't lose her balance.

The armory door was left unattended. Dominic was right, the soldiers were so undermanned that they had to prioritize defending the wall and sleeping rather than protecting other key areas of the camp. Dominic flicked on his flashlight as they approached the door, beaming the cone of light over the metal knob. Chloe pulled out a kit from her pocket, and picked out several metal rods of differing shapes from it. She leaned towards the lock before sticking one of the rods into the keyhole, turning back toward the group.

"This might take a minute," she whispered, the confidence that was in her voice previously now gone as they began their heist.

"Alright," Dominic nodded before turning back to Steve, who leaned Molly against the wall opposite the armory door. He returned his friend gaze with a nervous look, his eyes twitching between Molly and Dominic. "Steve, I need you to head back down the hallway and keep an eye out for anyone comin' our way. We'll call you over once we're in."

Steve sighed as he visibly deflated. "Fine," he grumbled before letting go of Molly, Dominic taking his place of holding her up before the Brit stomped (quietly) towards the way they came. It seemed that Dominic had become the ex facto leader of the group; even Chloe seemed to take orders from him. It irked Steve; he was always the one to take charge, and definitely did not enjoy being told what to do. However, Dominic was his friend, and fighting over leadership wasn't going to get them anywhere, so he simply swallowed his pride and did as he was told. After all, it seemed that Dominic knew what he was doing, which was a dramatic change from the man he knew before the apocalypse. Perhaps Zombie Paradise brought out that side of Dominic that Steve didn't even know existed, including the ample amount of insanity his friend seemed to have built up inside of him. That was what scared Steve the most; what if he argued with Dominic one too many times, and his friend snaps? It wasn't like Steve was being serious, half of the time he was only fucking with Dominic, but if something happens and Steve _can't_ condone it, then what happens? Could Dominic kill him? Could he kill Dominic? He shook that thought away as soon as it crossed his mind. Despite their shaky friendship, they've always found a way to stay friends. He was sure the apocalypse wouldn't change that.

The hallway split in two directions ahead of him, running perpendicular to the outer wall of the building. A large window sat directly in the middle of the intersection; it was about an hour past sundown now and the citizens of UGA continued their nightly ritual of banding together around the fires in the night. The Brit took a quick glance over the defenses around the wall. From where he stood, he could only see one, maybe two soldiers standing watch in their lookout towers. The shift change, according to Chloe, hadn't happened yet, so they had time to get everything they needed before sneaking out. He still thought it was a bad idea to try to steal from UGA and sneak out, after all, the people here weren't bad, it was the leadership that was lacking. Stealing from them would only hurt innocents. However, they needed supplies for the road, and the soldiers took their findings from the fraternity to benefit the camp, so they were left with nothing. No matter how morally questionable it was, he knew it needed to be done.

Back at the armory door, Molly and Dominic spoke in hushed whispers. "Where do you think they keep their stash of food and water?" Molly asked the question as if it was merely small talk, trying her best to mask the immense pain emanating from her leg with each passing second. Despite the day of rest she endured, her leg still flared with the immense pain when she walked on it, limiting her mobility. She knew she was going to be a liability while getting out of the camp, and she hated that. She was used to being the badass, pulling Dominic out of the fire when he got too close to it, but now she was too weak to even stand on her own. It was pathetic. Yet she didn't push Dominic away and stand on her own two feet, because, despite the fact she felt and looked weak, she needed that support to keep going, and Dominic didn't seem to mind anyway, although she knew why deep down.

"They keep their food supply in some cooking classroom by the greenhouse," Chloe spoke, entering the conversation as she continued to struggle with the lock. "It's pretty well stocked, considering."

"Good, makes me feel less guilty about raiding it," Dominic spoke, his tone even as he continuously switched between looking at Molly and down the darkened hallway beyond them. Worry etched across his face as he couldn't help but think that any second now someone would come around a corner and see them. It's not like they were invisible, especially with Dominic's flashlight still fixed on the door for Chloe to see.

"We won't take much will we?" Chloe asked as she looked back at the two over her shoulder. "Wolffe might be an asshole, but these people aren't. I don't want to be the reason they die."

"We'll only take a week's worth of food," he replied, his tone even as he spoke. He knew that they were going to need to take more than he was letting on, but he didn't want to say that to her. They needed enough to make it somewhere, and that meant- _Oh, fuck me._ A thought crossed through his mind: he had forgotten something, something so major that he nearly slapped himself for being so stupid and careless. "Besides," he continued, trying to act as casual as he could, as if he knew this entire time. "We don't even need to steal any food, really. That pharmacy Tobias and I hit downtown had enough food in there to last us months, and enough medicine for _years_."

"Holy shit… and you just left that?" Chloe breathed; she could hardly believe it, such a big score so close to home, and one that could keep them going for so long. How could Dominic forget something like that? Or did he just keep it to himself so UGA wouldn't steal it from them? She sighed, shaking the thoughts away, before returning her attention to the door, the tumblers inside finally giving way to her pick.

"Didn't exactly have a choice, since the Hunters took us hostage," Dominic deadpanned as he watched the woman continue to toil away at the door's lock. "But the bags of meds, and the food are all still there. We can take as much as we can stuff into the car and get out of there before Wolffe even knows where we've gone!" A smile plastered across Dominic's face. Everything was coming together. All they needed was to get away from UGA, and get the car, and they were golden. His confidence in the plan seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Maybe everything was going to work out. Of course, deep down, Dominic knew something was going to go wrong. He may have said that Wolffe would let them go with no trouble, but he also knew that the Sergeant was a crafty man; a coward who knew that Dominic was the biggest threat to his leadership. And so, Dominic kept his eyes on the shadows of the hallway, not because he felt guilty for stealing from these soldiers, but that he may be leading them to their execution, or a slaughter.

Chloe let out a soft cheer as the door finally clicked open. "That's right, fuck you door," she smiled as she slowly pushed the door open, the hinges making a soft creaking sound as the wood pivoted on them. The group converged on the room like moths to a flame, ready to get their weapons and get out of there. Chloe entered first, already searching the tables for anything she could use. Dominic and Molly were next, the woman still leaning against her friend as they crossed the threshold into the armory. Clementine followed shortly behind, her eyes locked on Molly's form with a worried expression, while Steve took up the rear, annoyed that he had to wait for everyone else to enter first.

They took as much weapons as they could carry. Chloe slung a large sniper rifle over her back before stuffing a Beretta into her pocket, and a glock into her backpack. Dominic and Molly found their old weapons: the machete and Hilda, the Stranger's revolver, the suppressed pistol Tobias had given Dominic, and a couple more pistols for Molly. The more weapons, the better, after all. Steve retrieved the shotgun he took with him to Zone 2, and retrieved a large knife, still in its sheath, attaching it to his belt. He grabbed another Beretta and stuffed it into his back pocket. After the adults finished equipping themselves, Dominic turned to Clementine, holding out a holster and a glock to the little girl with a soft smile on his face.

"I know I've been babying you since Savannah, Clem, and I'm sorry for that," he started with a sigh, bending down to her eye level as he spoke. "And I'm sorry I never told you about your parents. I didn't want to hurt you by telling you things you probably wouldn't believe, and I know I hurt you by _not_ telling you. But things are gonna be different from now on, okay? No more secrets. And no more kid stuff." He extended out the pistol and holster to her as she cautiously took them from him. "You're a good shot, Clem," he continued with a smile. "Think you can handle it?"

She smiled nervously as she tried to hold back the tears welling in her eyes. The mention of her parents felt like a punch to the gut, but she knew that Dominic was trying to apologize to her, in his own way. For everything. She didn't want to let him down. "Yes," she said in a whisper, placing the weapon inside the holster and struggling to place the thing on her belt. Dominic laughed and helped her with it before standing up.

"Alright then," he patted the little girl's shoulder before turning to Chloe, who readjusted the rifle slung over her shoulder as it dug into her skin. "How much longer until the shift change?"

"Uhh…" she stared down at the watch on her arm, before rolling the sleeve of her leather jacket back over it, "maybe like five minutes?"

"Then we need to get moving then," he replied, taking in a deep breath before addressing his entire group. "Keep close to each other, and don't make eye contact with anyone. Try to act natural, and if they try to stop us from leaving, be prepared to fight back." Each member of the group begrudgingly nodded in agreement as Dominic lead the way into the hallway. "Then let's go."

* * *

Ethan took a moment to fix his long, black hair, before returning the camo beanie he had been wearing over his head. It was a pointless gesture, to fix one's hair, especially now, in a world like this. But, it was starting to get in his face, the thick strands obscuring his vision and scratching at his skin, so it was more for his comfort rather than keeping up his appearance. His green eyes trailed over the courtyard in front of him as he shifted the assault rifle he was holding in his hands into a more comfortable position. His hands were shaking slightly, partially due to the biting cold, and partially due to the events that were to come. There was a traitor in their midst, someone that not only killed his good friend, Tobias, but also an entire squad of five. Every single one of them were good men, people they needed to keep the camp running and defended, and the man responsible, Dominic, didn't seem to bat an eye.

He paced back and forth in front of the main gate, his mind racing as he watched the shadows for any sign of the traitor, but nothing came; the only people visible in the night were the men and women of UGA enjoying their night by the fires, sipping on cold beers (thanks to the weather, they didn't even need to refrigerate them), and trying their best to keep their camaraderie to a whisper. They didn't seem to notice his presence by the gate, which reassured him. He didn't want them to feel uneasy; not to mention that Wolffe wanted him to keep this mission quiet. Although, Ethan disagreed. It was much easier to find a fugitive if you had more eyes looking for him. But, orders were orders, and he would follow them to his last breath. No matter the cost.

Two soldiers flanked him on both sides, each equipped with their own rifles as they watched their newly appointed second-in-command pace around, leaving a rut in the snow where he pivoted back and forth. There was still no sign of the boy, which worried Ethan. What could he be doing? Wolffe seemed to think that the boy was going to try to make a break for it, escaping the camp altogether, but thirty minutes have passed and there was still no sign that Dominic has even left the complex, or even _attempted_ to make an escape.

He let out a heavy sigh before reaching for the radio attached to his belt, bringing the plastic device up to his lips. "Sergeant, there's still no sign of the boy. Should we search the building?"

There was a brief pause before his commander's soft voice filtered out of the device. " _Negative. If he's going to try to escape, he'll come straight to you. There's no other way out of the camp. I'll round up some men to search the building. Just, keep guarding the gate._ "

"Copy that," Ethan replied with a sigh before returning the radio to his belt. His companions gazed at him with light interest before returning their attention to the school and the surrounding courtyard. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to wait long to finish this up. Ethan had a dinner date with his girlfriend, Hannah, in an hour, and he didn't want to stand her up.

He let out one final sigh before turning back to his men. "Alright boys, you heard the Sergeant. Keep your eyes open, and don't open fire unless I give the order."

* * *

The silence slowly began to fade away as the Dominic, Clementine, Molly, Steve, and Chloe reached the double doors leading outside, near where the greenhouse sat in the south-east corner of the camp. Dominic turned back to the group with a knowing gaze. "Get ready, I don't want them to take us by surprise if they decide to stop us."

"Don't worry," Chloe replied in a confident tone, a hand on her hip. "These guys know better than to fuck with you. I mean, you _did_ come into the camp covered in blood."

That forced a short laugh to escape Dominic's lips as his grip on the suppressed pistol tightened. "Keep close," he whispered as he slowly pushed open the door. The metal creaked as the mechanical parts of the door scraped against each other, forcing Dominic to grimace as he pushed it open the rest of the way. He peered out at the yard beyond. He could see a group of civilians sitting around a campfire, their hushed voices almost merry. Oh, how little they knew about their _fearless_ leader. He held the door open as Chloe stepped through, her hand gripping the hilt of the pistol stuffed into her pocket. Steve and Molly were next, the Brit helping the woman move, who held back grunts and desperately tried to seem okay, despite the fact that she clearly wasn't. Dominic's eyes then locked on Clementine, who shook visibly as she reached the threshold of the door. He gripped her shoulder softly, trying to reassure her.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper as the little girl looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I-I'm fine," she whispered back, but the frightful gleam in her eyes and the slight biting of her lip gave her fear away.

"It's okay to be afraid, Clem," he pulled her into a quick hug. A small smile stretched across her lips for a moment as she hugged him back before he pulled away. She looked up at him for a moment, biting her lip again as she asked the question that had been burning in the back of her mind.

"We're not going to hurt anyone, are we?" She asked, revealing the true reason that she was scared out of her mind.

"Not if we don't have to," he reassured her, trying his best to smile as she gazed up at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I promise."

She nodded slowly before following the others out into the cold night air, tapping the holstered pistol with her tiny fingers as she trudged through the snow. Dominic let the door slowly close behind him as he quickly caught up to the rest of the group. He was now the one biting his lip. He wasn't sure if they could get out of here without bloodshed, and, to his dismay, he realized that he didn't really care if it came down to fighting their way out. There was no remorse in his heart for these soldiers, and that frightened him. Was he really that far gone? Or was he simply doing what needed to be done, and disconnected himself from those feelings that would only lead him down the path to death? He didn't know, and frankly, he didn't really care. All he cared about was getting them out of there, alive, and no one was going to stand in his way.

The group kept close to the brick walls of the university as they circled the building, moving south, and then to the west as they approached the edge of the university. Their footsteps were more like crunches as the snow beneath their feet quickly solidified into ice as their weight compacted it. There would be no sneaking around, it seemed. As they approached the final corner, Dominic took a quick look in the direction of the gate. Three men were standing there, waiting. He turned back to Chloe with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you said the guard shift was about to change," he whispered, annoyance rising in his voice.

"Shit," she breathed, her eyes darting between the man questioning her and the figures standing at the gate beyond the wall. "They must know we're coming, so they're blocking the exit." She sighed. "Man, you must've _really_ pissed Wolffe off."

"Knowing Dominic, that's possible," Steve quipped from behind them as he shifted Molly's arm around his neck.

" _Fuck_ ," Dominic growled, taking a moment to breathe in and think before turning back to his group, who continued to look at him for answers. "Alright, we stick to the plan then. We walk for the gate. Don't try to look suspicious. Chloe, you might need to lose that rifle, if they see it, it might make them think we're out to kill." She nodded before dropping the rifle to the ground and kicking snow over it, for good measure. "Everyone stick together, and walk slowly. Hopefully they're just a guard patrol, and they're not actually looking for _us_."

"Alright Dominic, that's enough with the speeches, we get it," Molly sneered with a grin.

The man tried to stifle a laugh before turning back to face the gate at the opposite end of the plaza. He took one step beyond the wall, then another, and then another. His group followed shortly behind, keeping their weapons hidden as they approached the gate one step at a time. Their presence didn't go unnoticed, as the three men standing at the gate locked their eyes on them. They didn't raise their weapons though, which reassured Dominic, but the way their eyes followed their every move raised a red flag in his mind. These men were _definitely_ waiting for them.

They continued the trek in silence until they were about ten feet away from the gate. The man in the center raised a hand to stop them. Dominic took in the soldier's appearance as the man approached them, his rifle held at chest level. He wore a camo beanie over his long, black hair, which matched the man's worn uniform. Stenciled in with black fibre was the name _E. Harrington_. His face was clean, where only tiny blips of black hair started to pop out of the man's skin. He watched them with a glint of both fear and anger, which raised the hairs on Dominic's skin to a point.

"Don't come any closer," the man's treble voice broke the silence as he held out his hand. The group stopped in their tracks. Dominic stared down the man as Chloe's fingers reached for her pistol in her pocket, each movement barely registering as she tried to mask her movements. Steve watched his friend with a stare, trying to figure out what Dominic was going to do next, while Molly merely focused on keeping herself upright. Clementine stood her ground next to Dominic, trying her best to look brave.

"We just want to leave, man," Dominic replied, trying his best to sound as genuinely friendly as possible. "We don't want any trouble."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go," The soldier spoke in an even tone, his voice sounding almost methodical, yet there was a hint of fear in his voice, a sight wavering. Was this man really scared of Dominic? The more he thought about it, the less it made sense. "You killed six of our men," the man continued. _Scratch that, now it all makes sense._ _Oh, Wolffe, you dirty liar._

"You're kidding, right?" Dominic asked with an look of feigned shock. He definitely did not kill the squad that this man was obviously accusing him of killing, but he'd be damned if he revealed the fact he killed Tobias. "Did Wolffe put you up to this?" Dominic muttered as he wrapped his arms around his chest. "Because if he did, then he's a liar. I didn't kill your friends. The Hunters did."

"Shifting the blame, huh?" The man laughed at that, as if Dominic's response was something he already predicted.

"Listen, Mr…" Steve started, trying to diffuse the situation as he handed Molly over to Chloe before stepping in front of Dominic, who glared at the back of his friend's head as the Brit took over.

"Ethan," the man introduced himself with a grunt, his eyes focusing on the new participant in the conversation. Steve took a mental note of that before scratching the back of his neck.

"Listen, Ethan," he continued, taking a moment to point toward Dominic behind him as he spoke. "He definitely didn't kill your friends. I mean, hell, he's a bit crazy, but he isn't a murderer." He inwardly cringed at the fact that he was lying through his goddamn teeth. "Wolffe's lying to you. He's been lying to you for _months_."

Dominic had to fight back the urge to stare at his friend with shock. Ethan's gaze cycled between Steve, Dominic, and the soldiers flanking his sides. He sighed before raising his rifle towards them. "I'm sorry, but I don't listen to terrorists."

"Whoa, wait a second!" Steve raised his hands in the air, his eyes going wide as the rifle pointed at both him and Dominic, who pushed Steve to the side and approached the soldier with slow, deliberate steps, letting the man hold his rifle against his chest. He stared down the man, his brows furrowing as he silently hoped this wouldn't backfire on him.

"Wolffe's been giving people to the Hunters as food, Ethan," Dominic started, half-expecting the man to instantly say 'bullshit' and fire thirty rounds into his chest. He gulped before taking in a deep breath, keeping his eyes locked on Ethan's. "I found this out, and now he's trying to use you to get rid of me," Dominic let the bomb drop as his words echoed over the courtyard, no doubt reaching the other survivors' ears as the entire camp fell into a deathly silence around him. "They had the disembodied heads of two men and a little girl in an office at Zone 2, and Wolffe had Tobias sneaking them out of the camp, and giving them to the Hunters to keep them from attacking this place over, and over again, instead of actually doing _something_ about the threat."

Faint murmurs reached their ears as the people of UGA took notice of his words. Even the other soldiers that were standing watch left their posts to join the approaching crowd. Ethan bit his lip as he kept his rifle aimed at the man spouting nonsense in his direction, his subordinates doing the same. He couldn't believe that. There was no way in hell the Sergeant or Tobias would do that. He glared at Dominic. "You're lying."

"You've got an M4 pointed directly at my chest," Dominic reminded the man. "Why would I lie when you could just kill me at any second?"

The crowd grew louder as they convened at the front gates, their hushed whispers now full-blown shouts of accusal at the three soldiers standing at the gate.

"This is an outrage! Those people were just… slaughtered like animals?!"

"My best friend was one of the ones that went missing! You're saying that he was just gutted like a pig?!"

"This ain't right!"

"How could you keep this from us?!"

"She was a child! A goddamned child!"

The soldiers that followed the crowd over put themselves between Dominic's group and the brewing riot. When they weren't pushing people back, they locked eyes on Ethan and Dominic, waiting for an answer to this accusation themselves. Dominic kept his eyes locked on Ethan as the soldier struggled to figure out what to do. Everyone was turning against them, with these newcomers standing directly in the middle of it. There were too many civilians around now for him to do anything. He bit his lip before finally turning his attention back to the man standing at the end of his weapon.

"How do I know that you're telling the truth?" He finally asked, his voice more like a shout as he tried to be heard over the chorus of rage surrounding him. "All evidence of what you're suggesting would've been burnt down with Zone 2, so you've got no proof."

"Your Sergeant straight-up admitted to it," Dominic shouted back. "It really didn't take much either. Go ask him yourself, and if you still don't believe me afterwards, by all means, put thirty rounds in my chest if you think it'll make you feel better." The man's eyes darted towards Chloe, who nodded hesitantly. There was still no evidence to back up this madman's claims, but if even Chloe thought Wolffe was killing people… could it be true?

The man let out a heavy sigh as he exchanged glances with his compatriots. They all knew what to do. "I'm going to regret this," Ethan's voice sounded defeated, as he lowered his gun. The boy braced himself for the man to attack him, his hand instinctively going for the machete on his back, but the man pushed past him, and towards the crowd. The crowd formed a wall between the soldiers and the university, but Ethan kept walking, as the six soldiers helped him push through the crowd.

He had to confront Wolffe, before the people of UGA tore into him like ravenous wolves. He took one last glance at Dominic. "You better be right about this."

"Wait- where is he going?" Steve watched the man's exit with exasperation.

"To see if I'm right, no doubt," Dominic muttered, nodding in Ethan's direction as he watched the man disappear into the crowd and come out the other side unscathed. He stomped towards the front doors to the university before disappearing inside. He couldn't help but watch in shock as the crowd followed the soldiers in, their shouts now louder than a hungry herd of walkers.

They had just started a full-scale riot, at least, one that's slowly brewing, and soon would explode out of the tea kettle like steam.

Dominic took in a deep breath before returning his attention to his dumbfounded group. "Let's get going. We'll let them deal with their own revolution," He turned to Chloe, who watched the rioters march off with a worried frown. "Chloe, go ahead and get that sniper rifle back. We might end up needing it out there." She let out a soft sigh before nodding in his direction, running across the courtyard to retrieve the weapon in question.

"How the fuck did you two manage to pull that off?" Molly gasped with surprise, finding it difficult to find the words to describe the riot they had just started.

"Well, you get the people angry enough, they'll do your dirty work for you," Dominic muttered. He gazed at Clementine with a soft smile, who looked up at him with a mixture of relief and worry. No doubt she was glad they didn't have to kill anyone, but the fact that someone was probably going to die inside that school made the little girl feel guilty. But what was done was done, and it couldn't be stopped.

Dominic swiveled around and quickly pulled the gate open, ushering his group out of the camp before closing it behind them. The uproarious shouts could still be heard even from beyond the fence surrounding the university. They searched the road ahead for any car that the soldiers might've been using. The road was mostly empty however, forcing Dominic's muscles to tense as he tried to make out anything in the darkness, until his eyes locked on a dark blue mini-van situated between the barricade and a large apartment complex a few hundred feet away. _It'll have to do_. He ran for the car, Chloe and Clementine hot on his heels, as Steve helped Molly along at a much slower pace. The driver-side door was thankfully unlocked as Dominic opened it and searched the car for the keys. It seemed that the soldiers had placed them between the front seats in a cup holder. He sat down and stuck the key into the ignition before quickly twisting them. A few seconds later, the car roared to life with the faint whine of an engine. The first thing he checked was the fuel gauge, which sat at a steady half a tank. He couldn't hold back the laugh that burst from his lips as his friends piled into the car.

* * *

Ethan could hear the impending riot brewing behind him as he stomped towards the command center on the second floor. He needed answers, before the mob outside ripped into Wolffe for the things he supposedly did. He still wasn't sure what to believe, but those people seemed so genuine about it. Even Chloe, who Ethan had often talked to while on guard duty, and had taught her how to use a sniper rifle many months ago, when she had gotten bored of laundry duty, and wanted to do something more exciting. He trusted that Chloe wouldn't lie to him about something like this, and so he had to take the accusation at face value. At the very least, he needed to hear the confession from the horse's mouth. And so, he, along with the six men still flanking him, who seemed just as bewildered as he was. He pushed open Wolffe's door, only to find the man standing there with a pistol raised at him, and with two guards of his own. He probably heard the rioters coming for him, and thought to protect himself. He didn't expect Ethan to barge in however, weapon raised back at him.

They quickly slammed the door behind them, leaving the riot contained beyond the threshold while the soldiers examined their commander with scrutiny, trying to pinpoint a look of fear or guilt in the man's eyes.

The world seemed to deflate around them as Ethan sighed, his eyes transfixed on Wolffe's and the barrel of his Beretta before taking a cautious step forward.

"Is it true?" The Corporal spoke the words as if they were a curse. Wolffe's eyes bulged slightly as Ethan continued to walk towards him one step at a time. He just couldn't believe it. All this time, and all the effort that Ethan and the others put in to find these missing people, and it turns out that they were slaughtered like animals barely a mile away? That was just something he couldn't forgive or ignore.

His commander steeled himself as he lowered the gun, the sight of the six soldiers that accompanied Ethan holding their guns on him forcing him to stand down. He took a second to collect himself before responding to his Corporal's question, his voice cracking.

"Is what true?"

"You dirty, _fucking_ **liar**!" Ethan nearly spat the words as he shouted them. He knew Wolffe, and the look that he was giving Ethan said it all. The commander that he looked up to for so long was guilty as charged. "Jimmy was my _friend_! Doug… _**fuck**_ , he was the only one that could fix those damned radios. And Abby…" his eyes hardened as he closed the distance between him and his commander before punching the real traitor square in the jaw, the man falling flat on his ass as Ethan aimed his rifle at him, "you _murdered_ a **fucking** _**child**_ , you piece of shit!" Wolffe's guards aimed their weapons at Ethan, but lowered them as the man's words registered in their brains, and the fact they were outnumbered nearly three to one.

" **I DIDN'T MURDER ANYBODY, ETHAN! THAT WAS THE HUNTERS!** " Wolffe's voice sounded more like the painful yelp of an injured animal than a man as he nursed the bruise emerging on his face. " **THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ANY CHOICE!** "

" **I DON'T CARE IF YOU THINK WHAT YOU DID WAS RIGHT! IT'S NOT! WE HAVE A DUTY TO TO PROTECT THESE PEOPLE, AND YOU** _ **VIOLATED**_ **THAT!** " Ethan continued to shout in a blind rage at his commanding officer, trying desperately to resist the urge to put a bullet in the man's brain. Oh, it was _so_ tempting. He took a step back, catching his breath as he turned away from the man. He exchanged glances with Wolffe's guards, who nodding slowly, confirming their change of loyalty. Ethan stared down at his commanding officer with a hateful glare. "I'm declaring you unfit for duty, Sergeant. And sentencing you to death." The declaration echoed through the room like an explosion.

The room fell into another silence as every soldier in the room exchanged worried glances. Ethan gazed back at them, hoping that they'd support him. After an excruciating moment, they nodded their agreement. The crowd had reached the door at this point, their vicious shouts and deafening bangs on the door reverberated in the air like gunfire. It took half of Ethan's supporters to keep the wolves at bay.

"You can't just kill me!" Wolffe shouted incredulously, his eyes going wide as he tried to plead for his life. "Don't you dare play judge, jury, and executioner! _**I**_ kept this place going! _**I**_ prevented a war that we **COULDN'T** win! Ethan, you _**CAN'T**_ do this!"

"You didn't give us a chance to fight back," Ethan shot back, clearly tired of his commander's bullshit as he kneeled in front of the man, his eyes burning with rage. "And because of you, people are dead. And, those people out there," Ethan pointed to the door, the roars of the crowd and their fists slamming against the door almost drowning out his statement. "They won't forgive you for this." He returned to his feet, his face emotionless as he gave his _ex_ -commanding officer his death sentence. "But, I'm not the one that's going to kill you, Sergeant. They are. So you better come up with a good apology, and pray they forgive you real quick."

Wolffe glared at him as he picked himself off the ground, quickly grabbing his pistol and moved to aim it at Ethan, who instantly snatched the pistol from his hand and punched the man again. Blood erupted from his nose as Ethan's punch broke the bones situated within it. Ethan stuffed the Beretta into one of his uniform's pockets before bending down and grabbing the man by his neck, and dragging him towards the door. The soldiers let go of the door as Ethan approached. Finally, with a nod from their new commander, they unlocked the door and pulled it open. The crowd filtered through the door like walkers converging on their prey. He dropped Wolffe to the ground in front of them.

"Have at 'em, ladies and gents. He's guilty as charged."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Wow, what is this? An Author's note at the end of a chapter? Wow. Weird. So, Ethan taking over, eh? How cool is that shit? Cool right? Fuck Wolffe, right? Alright, enough of that, moving on to what this A/N is actually about.**

 **I've been meaning to shout out a story made by a good friend of mine. His name is BHBrowne, and he started writing his first fic here back in August. Since then, he had finished his first Walking Dead fic, and has since started a sequel! His first story is called "A Long Walk Home", and I was blown away by how amazing of an author he was, especially for his first story. The fic revolves around the journey of Clementine and Luke ten years after the apocalypse began, on their journey to put Lee to rest after Clem left him tied to the radiator back in Savannah. I had no idea what I was expecting going in (I expected it to be some terrible Cluke story), but he BLEW my mind with how wonderfully written and well-plotted it was. It's emotional, gripping, heartwarming, and soul-crushing all at the same time. Not only that, but back in August he was putting out 15,000 word chapters in like a week, and I was just astonished at how he managed to do that AND write something of such AMAZING quality. However, the reason why I'm telling you this is because, despite how amazing his writing is, he's having trouble getting feedback (he only got like 15 reviews on his first story), since he hasn't established himself here in the Walking Dead section. So, if you guys have the time and would love to read some amazing work (to be fair, I think he's better than me, but he just won't admit that he is), go give his stories a read and send him some love! I promise you won't regret it :)**

 **Alright, with that nice wall of text finished, I would like you all to know that I'm deep into work on the season 2 finale. It's going to be MUCH longer than the chapter's we've been seeing lately, as it's going to feel more like a journey all on it's own compared to the past chapters which have been more or less the continuation of the previous chapters. I think you guys are going to love it. However, because of the sheer size of the chapter, and the amount of quality I want to ensure that it has, it may take a while for me to finish. I'm going to work on it as fast as I can, but I just don't want to give you guys a subpar chapter, especially for a FINALE. I'm aiming for a release date somewhere around October 14, but hopefully we'll be seeing the first part of that before then. I promise you though, it will be definitely worth the wait :)**


	35. The Way Home

**Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2 - Episode 5: The Hunter**

 **Chapter 35: The Way Home**

* * *

 **Day 499**

Athens quickly became a distant memory as Dominic and Steve took shifts driving the SUV through the deserted roads of Georgia. The long stretches of farms and forests became a monotonous cycle of dark green seas and specter-like silhouettes of trees quickly passing by while Dominic handled the wheel. Georgia often reminded Dominic of his days back in Texas; the endless roads of grass with a single, tiny house out in the middle of nowhere, where the road seemed to never end. For Steve, he was fucking tired of it all. He'd seen nothing but… nothing, for months. If anything, a small town in the middle of this rural hell would make him grin ear to ear until it hurt.

Molly relaxed in the back seats, thankful to be off of her leg for the time being. She straightened her legs, stretching them gently while her head rested against the bundled fabrics Dominic propped up against the window. In front of her, Clementine and Chloe sat in their seats, quietly conversing in their single-sitters, like a pair of sisters catching up, gossiping and laughing.

They drove through the night, trying their best to put as much distance between them and Athens as possible; their destination, Atlanta. They knew that it could be a bad idea, but Dominic hoped that the city's hordes of walkers would have kept most scavengers at bay. And, by now, the streets would be a little bit safer to traverse. It was a pipe dream, but they needed a destination, a purpose to keep them moving, because he just didn't know where to go from there. Steve helped him navigate the long stretches of road between Athens and Atlanta, using a map the Brit had found in the SUV's glove compartment. Dominic hardly remembered the city; the time he spent there was in the outskirts, in the suburbs where Clementine lived. Downtown, however, was going to be a much different animal.

He was slowly getting the hang of driving the SUV. Before the apocalypse, he learned a few things here and there about driving, but never really finished learning how. His mother was always so worried about him getting into a wreck and crashing her car, so she wouldn't even teach him how to drive in the first place. Now, with a world free of traffic, he quickly learned what his mother never finished teaching him. And, as it turned out, Steve had very similar experiences growing up in Britain. Chloe tried to insist that she could drive for them, being the only one that knew how to drive besides Molly, who told them that she would rather rest a bit and then drive, if necessary. Dominic ended up telling Chloe that she would take shifts with them, but for now, they both needed to learn how to drive anyway, so that was the end of it.

By midnight, the rest of the vehicle's passengers were fast asleep, and Dominic and Steve were getting close themselves, only having a few minor instances of passing out behind the wheel, the adrenaline rush of having the car jerk to the side like a shot of espresso. Finally, with a sigh, Dominic gave in and called out to Steve who, unironically, had already passed out in the seat beside him. With another sigh, Dominic pulled the van over on the side of the road, locked all of the doors, and slouched down for the night.

It was hard, at first, to fall asleep. His mind raced; fear that walkers or bandits would attack them mixing in with the slur of guilty thoughts deep within his subconscious. Since leaving Athens, he wondered just what had happened at UGA after he revealed Wolffe's betrayal. Did they kill him? Did _Wolffe_ kill _**them**_? Was that entire camp dead now because of Dominic? Flashes of happy faces and merry cheers were burned away by the sound of gunfire and screaming. And, as his mind began the switch from thoughts to dreams, the visage of the survivors he had killed over the past year and a half began to bubble to the surface of his mind. The Stranger; he was crazy, killed Clementine right in front of him, over and over. Justified. The Hunters; guilty of countless atrocities, including cannibalism and murder, _even though those things_ _ **do**_ _go hand in hand._ Also justified. But, could he justify killing Tobias? Or those strangers he often ran into on their journey to Athens? He wasn't much better than a bandit, but he did what he did to make sure _they_ survived. But, that didn't make his conscience feel any better about it. The weird thing was, despite feeling guilt over killing those people, those (most likely) innocent souls, he didn't really care all that much about their deaths. It wasn't the person that made him feel this way, but rather, the act. Did that make him a bad person? He didn't know. Did it really matter? Not really. They were alive, fuck everything else.

His eyes fluttered open after about an hour had gone by, his mind too focused on the pressure of guilt building in his subconscious that he shot up and glared at the dark road ahead. He gazed around to see nothing but the pitch black scenery around them and the darkened figures of his friends in their seats. _Yeah, fuck you too, brain._ Rolling his shoulders slightly, he twisted the keys, the van quietly roaring to life as the headlights flicked on. He didn't really expect to see walkers stumbling in the road ahead of them, the sight nearly sending his heart bursting out of his chest as he quickly put the car into gear and revved the engine, swerving around them as their grey hands reached out for the car like fangirls reaching out for their idol. He glared at them through the rear-view mirror as they faded away in the darkness, lost, but hardly forgotten.

They traveled down the backroads of Georgia for what felt like hours. Silence filled the air with an uncomfortable tension, faint snoring and the faint hum of the engine being the only thing reaching Dominic's ears. Steve had his feet resting on the dash, staring blankly at the road ahead as he found himself rudely awakened by Dominic maneuvering the SUV through the maze of cars left abandoned on the country road.

It seemed that the devastation was much worse the closer they got to Atlanta, but, even miles away, the world was just as fucked. Homes were burnt down, cars torn apart or left abandoned, and trash covered the streets like a layer of thick paint, stuck to the ground further by the snow, which seemed to be slowly melting away as the air outside warmed up from the almost arctic temperatures from the days before. As Dominic sideswiped a burnt out Hummer, Steve pulled his feet off of the dashboard and rummaged through the glove compartment, his face being a mix of exhaustion and boredom. Dominic gazed at him briefly before returning his eyes to the road. The Brit fished out a black fabric CD case and, with a smile, perused through the plastic disks inside. After a moment, he broke the silence.

"Seems like someone's mum was a big Metallica fan."

Dominic stared at his friend with a shit-eating grin. "I have never been so happy in my life," he squealed with glee as his eyes darted between the road and the CD. "Pop one in… _goddamn_ , it's been too long since I've heard any music. I'd fucking _kill_ for my phone right now." He hissed, the morbid thoughts all but erased with the hopes of hearing the graceful tunes of the 1980's.

Steve let out a soft laugh before pulling out one of the CDs and inserting it into the radio in the middle of the dashboard, quickly spinning the volume knob down so they wouldn't wake their friends in the back. The sun began to slowly rise in the sky as the eclectic chords of Battery began to play over the radio.

The country roads quickly became suburban avenues as they drew closer to Atlanta. Dominic glanced down at the fuel gauge; still a fair amount over a half a tank. They should make it to Atlanta, at least, maybe further. He turned to his friend as the song began its first heavy riffs, the sweet sound like bliss to Dominic's ears. The situation seemed, for a single, perfect moment, like a scene out of an action movie: everything had gone to shit for him and his gang, but with Metallica screaming and rocking in the background, all of their problems melted away, faster with every chord.

"Ever listen to Metallica?" Dominic asked, trying to break the ice that held the SUV in silence moments prior.

"Not really," Steve shrugged as he spoke. "Not my kind of music, really. You know me though."

"Yeah, you just listened to Green Day and a bunch of other bands I can't even remember right now." He mused.

"Pretty much. I mean, it's not _bad_. I'm just not _really_ a fan of metal."

"I know, that's why I always wore headphones when listening to music in my room," Dominic laughed as he maneuvered around a row of abandoned cars taking up half of the avenue ahead. The skyline of Atlanta slowly appeared on the horizon from behind the clouds, like tall, polygonal silhouettes in some abstract painting you'd find in an art exhibit; they were almost there. He swerved the car toward an on-ramp for the highway leading into Atlanta as Steve stifled a laugh next to him.

"I always thought you were just watching porn," Steve deadpanned, a smirk on his face as Dominic glared at him incredulously.

"Shut up," Dominic avoided the man's gaze and tried his best to laugh the remark off. "Don't talk about that with a kid in the car, dude." He tried to sound scolding as he glanced at his friend.

"What? Don't want to explain what 'porn' is to a little girl? You could always just say 'that's grown up stuff' and move on."

"Have you ever had to deal with kids? They can be insistent if they want to know something," Dominic sighed as he swerved around a wreck just beyond the entry ramp of the highway. Luckily, the southbound lanes into Atlanta were mostly clear of debris. Everyone and their dog had tried to get out of Atlanta in its final moments, and that mirrored in the devastation on the opposite side of the highway. Cars, torn up bodies of the dead, and walkers roaming around the wreckages like vultures; the destruction was absolute. The walkers watched their vehicle with longing, white eyes as they drove by.

"Maybe you should watch less porn, then." Steve sneered, making his friend growl in frustration.

"Oh, fuck off, and pay attention to the damn map for me," his voice didn't sound that serious, which only made Steve laugh even more before finally doing as he was told. The skyline grew bigger and bigger as they approached the metropolis on I-85. In the dim lighting, Steve could make out a train yard below them, as the highway raised into the air. Within the small complex, walkers roamed around aimlessly, while some of them clung onto the fence surrounding the yard like prisoners trying to escape. He returned his attention to the road ahead just in time to catch a sign labeled '17th St., 14th St., 10th St., 1 ¼ Miles' breezing over them as they cruised under it. He peered down at the map laid out in his lap with an intense glare, finally marking their location based off of the signs around them.

"So, how far are we going to go into the city then?" Steve asked over the sounds of a man screaming the word 'battery' on the radio and loud drums pounding away at the speakers.

"The outskirts of downtown maybe? I don't know if we should push any deeper, with the walkers and all," Dominic replied, shrugging as he swerved around a demolished ambulance, teetering off the edge of the raised highway as if one touch would send it hurtling to its death.

"Why don't you call them 'zombies'? It's… kinda weird that no one does," Steve asked in a rhetorical tone, as if not really expecting a response.

"Well," Dominic took in a deep breath, lowering his voice, as if someone else could hear them. _Who am I kidding, they're all passed out. Just like how I_ _ **should**_ _be._ "If I remember correctly, there's no zombie lore in this universe. The very idea hadn't been invented yet." He explained, shrugging as he glanced towards his friend.

Steve openly laughed at the thought. "You're kidding right? Like, that's the most ridiculous thing you've ever said. And the 'we're in the past' thing was pretty fucking up there."

"Don't ask me," Dominic shot back, not really caring if Steve believed him or not. "It's just the way it is. No one knew about zombies, and so they came up with different names for them. Roamers, walkers, lamebrains, rotters, lurkers. Walkers is the most popular one though."

Steve shrugged. "It's got its charm, I'll give them that."

Their journey continued in relative silence as the radio began to play the heavy riffs of Master of Puppets. The highway slowly returned to ground level, as trees and brush raised to meet the road tearing through the man-made clearing. The skyscrapers loomed on the horizon, the detail now visible as the sun changed the sky from a bright orange to a vivid blue. Dominic squinted as the light filtered through the windshield before his eyes finally adjusted to the slowly changing lighting. All elements of suburbia faded away as industrial factories and carparks grew in their place. The road began to wind as it flowed into downtown. So far, there hadn't been an opportune time to get off the interstate, but, as they approached the city, Dominic finally swerved off the main road and into the exit ramp, following the thin, spaghetti-like structure until it lead him to 17th street, right at the edge of downtown. To their right, a tall skyscraper sat like a giant watching over the city, and the SUV that continued its journey over the bridge and past the building. The road itself was littered with abandoned cars, almost to the point of blocking the street off. Dominic was forced to maneuver the car through the tight gaps in between, until they reached a clearing on the other side.

"There's some sort of shopping strip over there," Steve pointed out as he shut off the radio. Dominic gazed in the direction his friend was pointing; the street they were on branched off to their right, the thinner roads surrounded by red brick sidewalks and crosswalks. The road was blocked off by a black, metal gate labeled 'Atlantic Station'. Within the gates, Dominic could make out a large theatre sitting at the end of the street, along with several smaller shops situated in sprawling brick buildings. To the left of the avenue, the ground opened up to reveal a multi-level underground carpark. It was some sort of subway station, he concluded. He stopped the car at the gate, quickly turning the engine off and placing the keys into his pocket.

"Wake 'em up," Dominic replied as he pushed open his door. "We're close enough to downtown that walkers might be lurking nearby. We need to be ready."

"Roger that, _boss_ ," Steve sneered with a smile as Dominic shut the door behind him, wrapping the loop of his machete's sheath around his shoulders. The air was warming up in the morning sun as he approached the black gate, unzipping his jacket a little. Luckily, it was still cool enough out that wearing the thing wasn't uncomfortable. He examined the gate cautiously for a moment. There were no locks on it, to Dominic's relief, however, as he went to push it open, his hands touched something sticky on the cold metal. He pulled away, staring down at his hands, something red and crusty had stuck to his skin. Dried blood. He returned his gaze to the street beyond, trying to make out any sign of life within the strip, but nothing moved. However, there were bodies laid out on the sidewalks, some of them in splayed positions, as if they had fallen and tried to get back up, only to end up getting burned, or melted, by something.

"Napalm," Dominic muttered, remembering the horribly disfigured walkers he had seen from watching the Walking Dead so long ago. Clearly, those events still took place, and, as he examined the buildings again, he could see the signs all around him. Scorch marks and melted concrete pockmarked across the urban center. He gulped, unsure if they were going to find anything left in this city after all.

He turned back towards the SUV as the sound of the car's sliding door opening, and footsteps tapping in his direction, filled the air. Clementine rubbed her eyes gingerly before looking up at him with a soft smile, her signature baseball cap tilted slightly from sleeping with it on.

"Welcome back to Atlanta, Clem," Dominic tried to lighten the mood as turned back and pushed the gate open, using a rag from his backpack to keep from getting blood all over his hands.

"I think I've been here once," she spoke in a soft tone as she let out a long yawn. "With mom and dad. They had this big ice skating rink right there in the middle of the street." She pointed further down the street, picturing the big enclosed space that used to be set up there during Christmas.

Dominic let out a soft laugh as he discarded the rag and patted her on the shoulder. "You ever go on it?"

"No, I was scared that I would fall and hurt myself." She laughed at that; it was funny to think that at one time, that was the worst thing that could happen to her: a busted knee.

Dominic smiled down at her for a moment before asking his next question, his eyes going down to where her gunshot wound was on her stomach. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay…" she replied, a hesitant smile on her face as she gazed up at him. "Where are we going after this?" She asked. She hoped that he would say they would go looking for Lee, but she knew that was just asking for the impossible at that point. No one believed that he was alive, and she was starting to doubt it herself.

"I dunno," he finally replied with a sigh, leading the little girl back to the SUV as he dug his hands into his jean pockets. "I'll figure something out though. There's gotta be something for us out there."

"Okay."

He helped her open the sliding door before closing it behind her as she returned to her seat. He took one last look behind him, just to make sure there was no movement within the shopping strip, before returning to his own seat at the wheel. He glanced back at his group slowly waking up in his rear view mirror before driving into the shopping center.

* * *

The devastation was even worse the further you got into the urban sprawl of clothing stores and fast food joints. There were still no sign of walkers, to Dominic's relief, but the bodies were starting to pile up around the road they drove down. They were grotesque, like seeing pictures of World War II in color. Their bodies were scorched black, with splotches of skin in between the burns. Their heads were melted into the brick sidewalks and the asphalt of the road. Dominic forced his eyes to stare directly ahead, at the road, but his eyes continued to trail over to the scores of bodies as if they were drawn there by their own accord. As they turned onto another street, a few of the cadavers struggled to reach out for their car, their brains still intact despite the horrific mutilation of their bodies. Dominic could see Clementine struggling to keep her eyes off of them. That girl had seen so much in the span of a year that he worried about her mental health, but the fact that she closed her eyes to avoid the grotesque sight reassured him a little. It was his responsibility to take care of her, and that included keeping Clementine from seeing things too horrific for the young girl, even though some of it she had to see in order to be ready for the world they lived in. _That's a fucking thought._

He grimaced as the SUV rolled over the legs of a body that was sprawled out in the street, the sickening squelch of the limbs being crushed into flat pancakes making even him have to hold back the bile rising in his throat. Steve seemed to be experiencing a similar situation next to him, as his mouth contorted into various faces of disgust. The journey so far had been uneventful, but now the Brit was experiencing firsthand the horrific things he missed out on while in the UGA camp. Chloe found herself staring at the cadavers with interest, as if studying them.

Dominic still found the woman to be an enigma. Had she been at UGA for the entirety of the apocalypse, or did she find the camp like Dominic's group did? She knew how to handle herself, from what he had gathered, and the sight of these walkers hardly phased her, so she must've gone through _something_ traumatic before finding herself at UGA. That's practically all he knew about the woman, in fact, besides that she took care of Clementine while he and Molly were dealing with the Hunters. He made a mental note to talk to her soon, and get to know her, before concentrating on the road once again.

"Looks like there's a supermarket over there," Steve's voice pulled everyone out of their reverie as they followed the direction the man's finger was pointing. To their left, in between a shoe store and a clothing store sat a two-story brick grocery store under the name of 'Publix Food & Pharmacy'. Even more bodies were sprawled across the brick sidewalk in front of the storefront, indicating that these people were probably in the middle of raiding it before the napalm dropped. The large windows on either side of the store were broken, the shards of glass covering the street like sparkling glitter. Dominic instantly pressed down on the break and maneuvered the car in front of the store.

He took a moment to examine the storefront before returning his gaze to Steve. "Not sure if there's going to be anything left inside, but it's worth a look."

Dominic grabbed his machete from where it sat between his leg and the arm rest before stepping out of the car. Steve joined him as they stepped onto the sidewalk, his shotgun held loosely in his hands. The gruesome sight and smell of the cadavers lining the street were enough to make the Brit gag instinctively, as the two men examined the store ahead for any sign of movement within.

"What do you think?" Steve muttered to his friend as his eyes fell to the bodies, one of them about three feet away from his foot, groaning and reaching out at him with melted, mottled fingers. Dominic sighed before yanking his machete out and slamming the metal blade into the walker's greyish forehead. The walker fell silent as its head slumped to the brick beneath it.

"Well, we've got to start somewhere, I guess," Dominic finally stated as he went to work on killing the rest of the undead bodies littering the street in front of Publix. Steve nodded his agreement as he watched his friend work. Finally, once the area was clear of threats, Dominic signalled for the rest of his group to join them out on the street.

"Alright, Steve and Chloe, I want both of you to scavenge whatever you can from the aisles in the store while Molly, Clem, and I take a look in the stockrooms and see if anything was missed when the shit hit the fan here," Dominic took in a deep breath before turning to Steve. "We have some flashlights in back of the van. Make _sure_ your area is clear before you start collecting shit. Last thing you want is a walker to sneak up on you with your hands full."

"You don't have to explain that to us, Dominic. That's like, rule number one of survival," Steve deadpanned.

"I know, but I'm just making sure you're prepared. This ain't going to be like how it was at UGA," Dominic sighed, crossing his arms against his chest. Chloe and Steve nodded their understanding before strolling back towards the van. Dominic turned to Molly, who leaned against the van, trying to mask the pain ebbing through her body.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he took a step towards her. "You gonna be okay walking around?"

"It doesn't hurt as much as it did the other day," She muttered, looking up at him with a shrug. "I think I'll manage."

"Good… I didn't mean to volunteer you to help out, I just… didn't want to leave you out here alone in the van."

"Stop worrying so much," she scolded, sarcasm rising in her throat.

"Sorry, force of habit," he smirked before turning towards Steve and Chloe as they shut the trunk door and rejoined them. The two men exchanged glances before the Brit tossed him a flashlight. The group moved in unison towards the building, weapons in hand and ready.

Steve held his knife firmly in his right hand, propping his shotgun against the glass door as he and Chloe pulled the automatic door open. To his relief, the door stayed open. Behind them, Dominic weighed his machete while his muscles poised to strike at anything that lept from the darkness within the store. Clementine held onto her pistol steadily as Molly unsheathed her pickaxe, wincing a little less with each step on her injured leg.

The store inside was cast into eternal darkness beyond the faint glow of sunlight from the windows. Rows of cash registers and their long, black grocery belts dominated the front of the market, while the faint outlines of shelves were barely visible a few feet deeper into the abyss.

"Keep your voices down and ears open while in here," Dominic whispered as he flicked on the flashlight and ventured into the store one step at a time. "Walkers can be anywhere."

Steve huffed at that as he and Chloe set out for the first aisle ahead of them, his flashlight hovering over the open space before concentrating on the large black sign hanging over the aisle. Dominic, Clementine, and Molly crept down the nearest aisle, the back wall being their real destination. As they passed the rows of shelves, Dominic quickly ran the flashlight over them. Most were completely empty, their contents raided long ago.

Beyond their footsteps and breathing, nothing could be heard within the large store, which both worried and comforted Dominic. The horrid smell of rotten meat invaded their noses as they approached the back wall, the stench coming from the deli located to their right.

After a few minutes of searching, they finally found a large metal door leading into the storeroom. Dominic pushed it open and listened for anything within the large space within. Nothing. He motioned for Clementine and Molly before stepping inside, holding the door open for his group to enter.

"A bit eerie in here," Molly mumbled as she limped past him. She listened intently to the room beyond, and the silence that followed had her uneasy, but she wouldn't tell Dominic that. Instead, she huffed and kept Hilda tightly gripped in her hand.

"Let's sweep the area, make sure it's actually clear before we start checking shelves," Dominic suggested, to which Molly and Clementine both nodded in agreement.

Dominic swung his flashlight over the area immediately ahead of them. The ceiling seemed much higher here, although it was still at the same level as the store behind them. The floor was made out of concrete, rather than fancy tiles. A large contraption was stationed to their left, an opening in it revealing a stack of crushed boxes. They followed the path into the storeroom, sweeping the light left and right and checking every corner. Most of the shelves seemed empty, but some still had items thrown haphazardly onto them. There was still no sign of anything or anyone else in the room with them. Behind him, he could hear Molly wince as she stepped on her leg wrong, but chose to ignore it, since the woman would merely grunt out that she was fine if he tried to question her.

"Hey! I found something!" Clementine hissed to her protectors in front of her. They both turned to gaze at her; she pointed to a open package of water bottles. Only a few bottles were missing, leaving around twenty behind. It was like striking gold.

"Good job, Clem," Dominic praised as he patted her shoulder and passed the flashlight to Molly. He picked up the heavy pallet of water and hauled it back to the exit, dropping it next to the door for them to grab later. Molly followed his every step to provide light. Once he returned, they continued their sweep.

They were turning around the final corner, at the far edge of the building where two massive garage doors let in miniscule rays of light around their feet, when Dominic's foot hit something small. The object skidded across the floor with a metallic clang as it collided with a metal shelf.

"Hold up!"

Dominic took the flashlight from Molly and held it towards the object. It was rectangular-shaped, with a large, black screen set in the middle of it. Dominic picked it up and examined it in his hand. The back of it had a matte black finish, with the word 'Nexus' written across it in a fancy font.

 _Holy fuck._

* * *

"You find anything yet?" Chloe hissed as her eyes darted between the two entrances to the aisle they found themselves in. This was the third aisle they've gone down, and the Brit hadn't found a single thing of use left over. She heard him sigh before grumbling out a few curses as he kneeled to search the bottom shelf.

"Stop badgering me, woman." He continued his sweep in silence as Chloe kept her pistol trained ahead of her, in case anything showed up out of the darkness beyond their flashlight. "This store's pretty fucked. There's like, nothing left." He picked up a bag of rice, half of its contents missing as he lifted it, only for the small grains to pour out of a hole at the bottom and fall to the tiled floor. "Fuck sake." He cursed before tossing the bag back onto the shelf, pretty much empty. "Maybe there's something left over on the beer and wine aisle?" He considered the prospect for a moment before he heard his companion groan.

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Hey. It's a fucked up world out here. I need something to take the edge off," he shot back, looking up at her as she frowned back at him. "I'm not being serious. Jesus, calm your tits."

"And you wondered why I wouldn't talk to you at UGA," she muttered, already tired of his shit as she returned her attention to the aisle ahead of her. The silence that ensued felt like it was suffocating the room. Steve finished his sweep at the opposite end of the aisle before moving over to the next. Chloe followed him with a silent glare.

Occasionally, they could hear the faint utterings of their companions in the back of the store, muffled by the metal door. The winter winds blew past the store with a soft howl, the tune changing with every second as the gusts turned to soft breezes and back into gusts again. As the howls grew louder, Chloe focused on listening to them, as if they would inform her of anything approaching from beyond the building.

"Well," Steve sighed finally, after several minutes of uncomfortable silence. "We've got a can of potato soup. I'm absolutely _shaking_ with excitement."

"Hey, it's better than nothing," she threw back, half-joking.

"I don't know. I think I would've preferred something more… tasty? Because, you know, potato soup just sounds so… inedible."

"Such a picky eater, aren't you?" She smiled, preparing the slew of teases she would come up with in the near future.

"Hey! I've got about fuck all to live on this fucking planet, might as well enjoy myself." He begrudgingly stashed the can into his backpack before joining her in the middle of the aisle. The wind was picking up now, the soft gusts from before now turning into whistling gales. "Well, that's about all we're finding in this shithole. Let's go see if the others had any luck."

As Chloe opened her mouth to reply, a strange noise began to fill the air, coming from outside. Her jaw instantly shut by its own accord before she motioned for Steve to shut up and follow her, the man staring at her with annoyance before he recognized the sound. It was a continuous wave of groans, like a wall of noise hitting them at the speed of sound.

"What the fuck?" Steve managed to gasp as the two survivors sprinted towards the front of the store. They stared, mouth agape, at the sight of thousands of walkers marching towards them, the crowd flowing into the street like water flowing downhill. And, they were coming right for them.

"So, about seeing if Dominic and them having better luck… I don't think that really matters now," Chloe breathed, her body shaking slightly as adrenaline began to pump through her veins.

"Fuck sake," Steve muttered before tossing the woman the flashlight. "Go get them, and get back to the fucking van. I'm going to get her started up and keep them at bay. The best I can, anyway."

She nodded before sprinting down through the store as fast as her legs could take her, nearly tripping as her foot slid on a puddle by the deli. Steve stared at the incoming horde with a look of disdain.

"I was having _such_ a good day, too."

* * *

"What is that?" Clementine's soft voice filled the air as Dominic stared at the phone in his hands. There was no way. This thing shouldn't be here. It was impossible. He could feel Molly's gaze on him as he struggled to find the power button on the device. He just couldn't believe it. He was holding a phone from 2015 in his hands, right now, over ten years before it should've existed. That didn't make _any_ sense. After a couple of seconds of holding down the button, the phone came to life, the white lettering of the word 'Android' flashing on the otherwise black screen illuminating his face. At last, he gazed over at the little girl beside him.

"It's a smartphone," he spoke the phrase with a sense of disbelief and awe. Clementine looked up at him with a confused look for a second as Molly looked at him with a similar gaze.

"You going to explain, or…?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a cellphone, but more advanced, obviously. It's got a screen that you touch to interact with it, instead of having physical buttons. It's a bit complicated really, so the simple version is: it's basically a computer inside a phone."

"Okay, next question then… what the fuck is something like that doing in the back of a goddamn store?" Her voice sounded almost incredulous, like the thought of such a device was more fiction than fact.

"It shouldn't even exist yet," Dominic shot back, watching the device as it began its startup animations and slowly came to life. "This phone came out in 2014 or 2015. So, the only way that it can be here is if…"

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down there Doctor Who. You said you were _from_ the future. You didn't say you were from a future where shit like this exists." She glared at him as if interrogating him, her hand now grabbing his arm.

"That's because, the future that I came from… all of this didn't happen," Dominic replied in a neutral tone. She had a right to know that, after all they've been through.

"So how did you know everything about Crawford? About Wellington, _fuck_ , about everything, if none of this even happened?" Her stare was starting to bore into him now, making the man instinctively take a step back.

"It's complicated," he said, but she wasn't buying it. She glared at him for a moment before the phone finally finished its bootup, revealing the lockscreen. The background wallpaper he instantly recognized, sending chills down his body. It was a Bullet For My Valentine wallpaper. He gazed at the background for a second before taking in the time on the phone, which appeared to be extremely off due to its sudden time jump. _8:30 PM, July 20, 2015._ _That's… two days after I ended up here, I think?_ He flicked his finger over the screen, unlocking the device in one swift stroke. It seemed that whoever the phone belonged to didn't lock it. The evidence was starting to mount in his brain, but he needed to make sure. He opened up the phone application and browsed through the contacts and messages, and sure enough, there was his name. _Dominic._ After browsing through a couple of messages, he knew exactly who this phone belonged to.

His best friend, Josh.

"Whoa, what's this?" Molly snatched the phone from him as he browsed through the messages, one of them sent to an old friend of Dominic's. It was a picture of Dominic with Josh and Steve at a concert. Josh was the one taking the picture, his sheepish smile clearly evident on his face, and his black beanie covering his head while his long, brown hair obscured his right eye; Steve stood to his right, looking annoyed and clearly not wanting to be there, while Dominic smiled at the phone's camera from behind Josh, holding a bottle of beer in the air as he raspberried the camera. Molly snickered at the photo before looking up at the now annoyed Dominic in front of her. "Man, looks like you guys were having a great time. Not to mention _underage_ drinking. Such a rebel, you are."

"Oh, just shut up and give me back the phone," Dominic rolled his eyes as the playful jest left his mouth, Molly finally giving the device back to him. "We dragged Steve to Warped Tour about a month before I ended up here. A lot of the bands that toured it were pretty hardcore. Not really his thing. We dragged him along to spite him, and try to convert him over. Didn't really work. Instead, he just looked miserable the entire time, and left us to flirt with a girl he found. The fucking British Charm gets all of them."

"Hardly," she deadpanned, smirking. Clementine kicked her foot back and forth as she listened to them talk, curious about her friend's past and that phone they found, but he was too engrossed in his chat with Molly for her to butt her way into the conversation.

" **GUYS!** " A feminine voice reached their ears, abruptly ending their conversation as the sound of feet smacking against the cement floor and labored breathing echoed off the high walls. Finally, Chloe reached the final turn, taking a second to catch her breath before looking up at them. "We gotta go! Roamers are headin' right for- wait, what the fuck?" Her eyes fell to the phone in Dominic's hand, still illuminated and on the picture that Molly had found.

"No time to explain," Dominic started, as he slipped the phone into his pocket. "How long we got until they hit this place?!"

"Not long, about a minute or so- seriously, was that a smartphone? What the fuck?!" Chloe babbled, her mind going a million miles a second. Her use of the word 'smartphone' sent Dominic's mind reeling. _Oh my God, what the fuck is it with all these people from the future? First me, then Steve, then Josh, and now this chick? What the fuck is going on?!_ He couldn't dwell on that now, though, so he pushed the thought into the back of his subconscious before barking out his orders.

"Everyone get to the van! Chloe, help out Molly. Clem, follow me!" He instantly moved into action, the little girl in question running after him, hot on his heels. They navigated the labyrinth of shelves before finally reaching the metal door, Dominic quickly bending down and grabbing the package of water they found earlier before pushing the door open and holding it for the others with his foot. Clementine ran out the door and stood beside him, her body shaking as she tried to think of what to do. Dominic waved to her to keep moving.

"Go get in the van, Clem! Help Steve keep them off of us!"

"Okay!" She nodded quickly before running off, her tiny feet pit-pattering on the tiled floor as she sprinted towards the front of the store. Dominic turned his attention back to the door in time to see Chloe and Molly approaching. He let go of the door as they crossed through the threshold.

"You think you can carry these?" Dominic asked Chloe in a half-neutral tone as he held out the package of water.

"Yeah, sure," Chloe affirmed before unwrapping Molly's arm from around her shoulder and taking the water, wincing as the weight of it nearly made her double over. She ran for the exit as quickly as her body would let her, while Dominic gazed over at Molly before sighing.

"Hope you're not heavy," he spoke as he instantly went in to pick her up and carry her out of there. She let out a fake groan as her feet was swept into the air.

"Better watch your words there, future boy, before I make you eat them."

"We'll worry about that later," he grinned before the exertion made him gasp for breath. They reached the entrance to the store just as the walkers were about to reach the intersection the van was stationed at. Their horrific cries for food, and the sheer amount of them, sent enough adrenaline pumping through his veins to push himself beyond his limit, trying desperately to get to the van before they cut them off. Clementine stood next to the van, taking a few carefully aimed shots at the walkers before Dominic's shout of "everyone in!" made her back away and jump into the van's open passenger sliding door. Dominic handed Molly over to Chloe, who helped her into the van, as Dominic yanked open the passenger-side door, and closed it behind him.

"Alright Steve, time to see if you can drive without getting us killed," Dominic deadpanned as the dead began to reach out for the car.

"Well, I'd fasten your seatbelts then, because this is gonna be a fucking bumpy ride." His eyes were locked onto the road in front of them, which was filling with even more walkers. _Oh fuck, oh fuck._ He made to stomp down on the gas pedal as a loud _bang_ pierced the air, just as his foot made contact with the pedal. Everyone ducked instinctively at the sound of what they could only assume to be a gunshot before another one pounded against their eardrums, a loud hissing sound filling the air as the van lowered on one side.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck **FUCK**!" Steve was shouting to the sky as he tried to hide his head underneath the window of his door.

"Everyone get out!" Dominic roared, reaching for his pistol in its holster before peeking through Steve's window. No sign of a shooter. Doors were pushed open as their own gunfire filled the air, each survivor trying to push back the herd enough for them to escape. They took cover behind the car as Steve crawled over the gear shift and out Dominic's door, hoping to God that he didn't get shot in the back while doing it.

"Who the fuck-?" Chloe started as she tried to peek over the van's hood to see who was shooting at them, but no one was in sight.

"W - What are we going to do?" Clementine's voice emanated from beside Dominic as he took in a deep breath, glancing in each direction.

"The van's fucked, we're going to have to run for it!"

"And leave all this shit behind?!" Steve growled, glaring in Dominic's direction.

"We don't have a choice!" Dominic hissed, looking between his friend and through the window of the van. Walkers were surrounding them on all sides, their only escape route that hasn't been blocked off yet was the way they came. "We don't have time to argue, just c'mon!"

Growling, Steve nodded his head, turning around to blast a walker that was getting a tad too close, the shot barely hit its mark, taking half of the walker's head with it as Steve fell backward. He hadn't gotten a chance to use the shotgun yet, and it packed a _fucking_ _punch_. As he picked himself up, Chloe fired into the crowd, while Molly wrapped her arm around Dominic and steeled herself for the coming escape. Clementine's eyes darted between each survivor, fear rising in her chest as she hesitantly began to fire into the crowd of walkers as well.

With the nearest walkers taken out, Chloe and Steve rushed past Dominic and Molly, following the street towards the way they came. As Dominic and Molly began their escape, the woman stepped on her injured leg wrong and let out a hiss of pain. Clementine stood next to them, reaching her hands out for if Molly fell, but Dominic waved her off.

"Watch our backs, Clem!" He shouted over the roar of the undead surrounding them before turning his attention to Molly. "Man, I'm _really_ starting to wish I had more time to work out before all this."

"I'm not that fat, you asshole," Molly growled as he lifted her into the air.

He rolled his eyes before shifting her in his arms, the fatigue built up over the past day making the act extremely difficult. Clementine fired another bullet into a walker that was getting too close as Dominic began to follow the path Steve and Chloe cleared for them, the duo about eight feet ahead of them. He let out a gasp as a walker skirted around the van and lunged for them, only to end up falling to the ground beside Dominic as a bullet lodged itself in its skull, Dominic glancing ahead to see Chloe was the one to take the shot. With a short nod, he took another step, then another, each one faster than the last. They were right on their tail now, so close, he could practically smell their rancid breath, a mixture of death, rotten eggs and beef. The stench was damn near unbearable, but he trudged forward without hesitation. Hesitation would get you killed.

"There an opening up here!" Chloe shouted back towards them, pointing towards a gap in the line of stores lining the street. A parking lot seemed to dwell between the two sections of stores, leading to a perfect escape route.

"I - Is it clear?!" Dominic called, looking over his shoulder as Clementine briefly took a chance to fire at another walker that was getting too close. But, at this point, the whole damn herd was so close that if you had long enough arms, you'd touch one. Every single second they spent outside, he expected for one to grab a hold of him, or a bullet to lodge itself in his back from… whoever was shooting at them before. _When I find those assholes…_

His thought was cut off as Chloe stopped dead in her tracks at the gap, before taking a few steps back.

"Uh, yeah, not going that way!"

"Fucking hell, there's so many!" Steve gasped, his eyes going wide as he took in what was within the gap. Dominic didn't even have to guess.

"Keep going, find us a way out!" They immediately sprung into action, too scared for their lives to let the shock and fear freeze them up.

Dominic chanced a glance behind him, they were slowly getting away from the walkers, but they weren't far enough away yet. His heart was beating out of his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins like a shot of super-strong coffee. As they passed the opening, he could see _more_ walkers stumbling through the gap, heading straight for them. They were getting boxed in, and the only way out could end up blocked as well.

This was how they were going to die. All the false hope he held for Atlanta being safe enough to explore fizzled away, the pipe dream being just that, a hopeless dream.

He was tired of being the one leading them to the slaughter. All he wanted was for something to go _right_ , was that too much to ask for?

"Fuck, there's more of them ahead!" Steve was shouting from somewhere ahead, a couple of walkers stumbling out from behind the buildings at the far end of the street. They were coming up on an intersection, the intersecting street running towards their left. It was their only shot at escape.

"To the left!"

Steve and Chloe sprinted for the intersection, the woman firing at a walker reaching up at her from where it was burned into the ground. So many walkers were surrounding them, it was easy to forget there were still some alive, flayed and mottled, and left to rot, stuck to the sidewalks. Dominic's arms were starting to get tired now, the extended period of time carrying Molly starting to wear him out. Clementine kept within a foot of him, her eyes darting between the incoming hordes of walkers surrounding them.

As they ran down the side street, they came to another intersection, the road that they came down originally coming into focus, where the gate he had opened earlier was, and the large hole in the ground next to the road, where several underground levels of the carpark resided. Beyond the gate lied freedom, the road seemingly clear of the undead.

A hundred and fifty feet, that's all it would take to escape.

Ahead of them, Chloe and Steve were heaving from their hasty escape attempt, their feet smacking off the ground with loud thumps. They crossed the gap between them and freedom in a span of thirty seconds, stopping in the middle of the avenue to catch their breath as Dominic, Molly, and Clementine tried to catch up.

"I - I didn't fucking sign up for a marathon," Steve breathed as he bent over, his hands resting on his knees. Chloe was doing something similar, looking towards him with wide eyes.

"I've never seen so many…"

"This is some fucking Dead Rising-level shit. F - _agh_ \- Fuck this, man! I'm never coming within fifty miles of a city again."

As Steve continued to catch his breath, Chloe examined their surroundings. Dominic, Molly, and Clementine were just passing a subway entrance, the walkers that were following them just reaching the intersection they were at before. With a turn of her head, she looked behind Steve, and towards…

Steve's eyes followed Chloe's as they grew even wider. Thousands of walkers were stumbling down the avenue towards them, the closest of which being close enough to cut them off from any escape in that direction.

"Oh, _come the_ _ **fuck**_ _on!_ "

Dominic watched in horror as the two sprint off down the avenue, away from them. He tried to quicken his pace, but every muscle in his body was aching from the exertion. Trying to run at this point would only cause his body to shut down. As he passed the subway entrance, what Chloe and Steve were running from came into focus.

This was it, he was surrounded on all sides by walkers. No way out.

His entire body was shaking, the adrenaline and fear mixing together to create one chaotic mess. He was going to die, all _three_ of them were going to die. The look on his face must've been one of pure terror, as he noticed Molly looking up at him with wide eyes. He found himself rooted to the spot, with no idea where to go or what to do.

" _I'm sorry_ ," the words escaped his lips in a hushed whisper, so quiet that they were drowned out by the roar of the undead.

"Over here!" Clementine's lilted tone forced him to turn around to see the little girl pointing towards the subway entrance. "We can escape through there!"

 _Oh, thank God…_

"Get goin'! I'll be right behind you!" He nodded his head in the direction of the entrance, trying his best to reign in the panic rising in his tone as the little girl rushed towards the opening, pistol raised in her hands. Dominic followed shortly behind, his eyes falling down to the woman in his arms.

"If we get out of this, you're carrying _me_."

"Let's wait until we get away before we start celebrating," she replied in a shaky tone, the fear apparently getting to her just as much as it was him.

A small smirk stretched across his lips as he nodded his head, rushing down the stairs as fast as he could without tumbling over.

He only hoped that whatever lied beneath the city wouldn't be as bad as the world above.

 _Well, only one way to find out..._

* * *

" _They got split up, sir,_ " the voice that filtered in through the radio was light and fearful, as if the man on the other end was scared of what the recipient would say.

The cab of the large army truck remained silent as the driver picked up the radio from its spot on the dashboard. Half of the man's face was covered in intense burns, creating a grotesque mirroring effect. The man sitting next to him shared a similar look, including dark burns across his camo jacket. The driver held down the transmit button as a frown stretched across his face.

"Get back to the fucking truck then."

" _Shouldn't we jump 'em?_ "

"No, too many roamers around," the driver replied. "We'll wait for them to clear out and follow the kid into the subway station. Marcus will go after the other two. Now, get back here, Trevor."

" _Copy that, sir._ "

The leader slammed the radio down onto the dashboard in front of him, his eyes trailing the herd of walkers stumbling past the truck. Dominic's group may have gotten out alive, but Henry Simmons was going to make sure those assholes paid for what they did. One way, or another.


	36. The Way In

**Author's Notes: Holy shit, I'm not dead? I - I thought I was. It was like... some kind of... hellish place. Maybe. Aaanyway, I'm _really_ sorry about the wait on this chapter, guys. Over the past couple months, I've been so close to abandoning LIAWOF altogether a couple dozen times. My work schedule, mixed with how busy I've become, made it impossible to find time to work on this, and my opinion on the story made it difficult to find the motivation to write for it, but I'm here, and I'm back! Hopefully, without another two month break xD**

 **First things first, I want to thank BHBrowne, for not only putting up with me, but helping me get through this mess of a writing process that has been Chapter 36. Seriously, without you and TheBigBadWolf1, sometimes I don't think I'd be continuing on. I also want to thank him for beta-reading this chapter, it was a seriously big help, hearing his thoughts and opinions on the chapter, along with fixing a few issues here and there for me.**

 **One more things before we get into this, since it's been _a while_ since the last chapter, I wanted to post a bit of a reminder here. If you find yourself unable to review because you "already reviewed", just log out of your account and review as a guest, then post your name in the review, and I'll get back to you via PM as usual :) Fanfiction support has yet to get back to me (it's been like, what? Three months?) about deleting the reviews for the original ending to Season 2 and Season 3, so it appears we may be dealing with this problem for a while. Anyway, without further ado, let's crack on with the story!**

* * *

 **Living In A World Of Fiction**

 **Season 2: Episode 5 - The Hunter**

 **Chapter 36: The Way In**

* * *

The subway terminal was eerily quiet compared to the chorus of noise the three survivors had endured above ground, the growling of the dead decrescendoing into a soft, piano hum emanating from above. Dominic couldn't make out much in the dim lighting, beyond the white parts of Clementine's baseball cap and the faint reflection of light off the metal ticket booths separating them from the rest of the station. Beyond the booths, he could just about make out tiny rays of light, presumably coming from where the carpark opened up to the world above in the form of a hole in the ground. There was a putrid stench in the air, a stench becoming all-too-familiar to the group of three. This close to the city, it was the only smell you'd encounter.

They approached the ticket booths in silence as the growling grew louder, some of the walkers that had surrounded them converging on the subway station. Soon enough, they'd be stumbling down that stairwell, and shit would hit the fan again. They needed to be gone before then. Keeping Molly held high in his arms, Dominic walked through the booths, the smooth metal rods spinning in a circle as he crossed through them. Clementine did the same to the right of them, her eyes going between Dominic and the stairwell behind them with worried glances.

"Do you think they'll follow us down here?" Her voice is quiet, nearly inaudible as Dominic slowly lowered Molly out of his arms, the woman grabbing a hold of the ticket booth for stabilization.

"Not gonna lie, it's likely," Dominic deadpanned, his own eyes lolling towards the only other light source in the room before turning back towards Clementine. "Don't worry, they can't follow us. Before they even get down those stairs, we'll be long gone."

He couldn't tell if that made her feel better or not, as her face twisted into a slight frown before she nodded her head. He took his backpack off after a moment, fishing through it until he pulled out the flashlight. _Man, I really didn't want to waste these batteries, but it's not like we've got much choice._ He turned it on with a faint click sound, sweeping the beam of light through the terminal slowly. No signs of the dead, or anyone lurking in the darkness, which was good. No doubt the further they retreated into the subway, the worse it was going to get. Molly hissed in pain from beside him as she tried to step on her injured leg, cursing under her breath.

"Here, wrap your arm around me," Dominic whispered, holding onto her as she did so, to keep her from falling over or putting too much weight on the leg in question. Once she was stabilized, he stepped away from the ticket booth, looking towards the nearby hallway leading deeper into the tunnel before gesturing for Clementine to follow them with a nod of his head.

It was a strange feeling, being underground with no light sources beyond their flashlight, and the only sounds being that of their faint footsteps and the telltale noise of the walking dead above. The walls felt as if they were closing in on them, the darkness and the fear settling in Dominic's stomach mixing together into the perfect example of claustrophobia in practice. He wasn't normally like this, but with the ways things had been going, he certainly wouldn't blame himself for feeling anxious. He's had his brushes with death before, but nothing quite so hopeless as being surrounded by walkers, with seemingly no way out. Any man would've lost his marbles, too. At least, that's what how he justified it to himself.

As they drew deeper into the subway station, the wall to his left opened up to reveal the carpark, letting in the natural light he was starting to desperately desire. He watched in horror as several walkers fell to the bottom of the carpark with a sickening splat, their bodies out of view deep beneath the surface of the earth. There were so many of them above, they were pushing themselves over the ledge. It was going to be a miracle if they made it out of this place alive.

There were no signs of Steve and Chloe being anywhere near the carpark outside. No gunfire or screaming, just… nothing. _Good, maybe they made it out alive._ He found himself thinking, hoping, anyway, that they were still out there. He didn't know too much about Chloe, but Steve was one of his best friends, even if they didn't get along all that often. He didn't want it it to just be them three again, going back to the times where Clementine would give him the cold shoulder, and the constant arguments he would get into with Molly. She was right, the whole time; the person he was becoming, that callous survivor with no regard to human life… that couldn't be him. This time, it'd be different, and when they met back up with Chloe and Steve, he'd make this mistake, coming to Atlanta, he'd make up for it. He'd set things right again. They just had to push through this one obstacle, he just wished it didn't have to be such a difficult one.

As they ventured deeper into the subway terminal, the window peering into the carpark disappearing behind them, Dominic stopped and turned to Clementine, holding the flashlight in the hand he was using to stabilize Molly before pulling out his suppressed pistol he got from UGA.

"Here, Clem, take this. It's not exactly _silent_ , but if things get hairy down here, it'll at least keep the walkers above from hearing us."

She holstered her own pistol but taking the one Dominic held out for her. She nodded her head once before weighing the pistol in her hand, the suppressor adding a bit more weight than she was used to.

The tunnel they found themselves began to dip downward as the floor was replaced by stairs, just at the bottom, Dominic could make out an opening, presumably leading to the subway station itself. He could practically hear his own heart beating in his ears as the silence of the tunnel filled his ears, his own breathing and the breathing of his companions hardly doing anything to mask the silence surrounding them. Molly let out a hiss as she stepped on her injured leg wrong, the stairs proving difficult for her. Dominic stopped for a moment, glancing towards her with a worried look, which she quickly dismissed with a small shake of her head.

 _Don't worry about me._

Clementine was the first to reach the subway tunnel, the pistol Dominic had given her held high just in case something jumped out of the darkness. At this level, nothing gave off any light beyond the flashlight, sending goosebumps down Dominic's spine. If horror movies had taught him anything, it's that places like these should be avoided like the plague. _Too bad that same plague is the reason why we're down here in the first place._ His eyes narrowed as he swept the flashlight across the tunnel, the beam stopping every once in a while when he noticed a body on the tiled floor. Most of them weren't coming back, their heads destroyed or otherwise, some of them even having bullet holes in the center of their foreheads. _Probably the military_. The morbid image of soldiers coming in and killing innocent people surfaced in his mind. Before the bombing of Atlanta, he imagined that kind of thing became a common occurrence.

In the center of the tunnel lied the tracks, where a large train remained parked halfway into the subway terminal, its doors open and even more bodies piling within. The smell was getting worse the further they drew into the terminal, so much so that Dominic found himself breathing through his mouth to get away from the smell as much as he could.

Clementine stopped in the middle of the station as Dominic readjusted Molly's arm around him, the little girl looking up towards them with a worried frown. "Where are we going to go?"

"Down the tracks seems to be the best bet," Dominic replied in a whisper, still trying to keep his voice down, just in case something lurked in the darkness that he hadn't seen yet. "If we're careful, we can make it to another station nearby, and head back out."

"What if there's walkers on the tracks?"

"We'll deal with them as and when," he replied in an even tone, choosing not to dwell on that possibility as he glanced towards Molly next to him. For her sake, there'd better not be any walkers blocking their path. He can't fight, hold a flashlight, _and_ help her at the same time. Clearing his throat, he gestured for Clementine to follow him towards the tracks.

"Only one way to find out, though."

* * *

The subway tracks stretched on for what felt like miles, the minutes bleeding into hours, but in reality still only being around thirty minutes. The walls were close enough that there was only enough space for one more person on either side of the three survivors. Dominic's heart was beating at an irregular pace, the consistent _thumps_ echoing in his ears as his mind went into the closest he's been to sensory deprivation. No one spoke, in fear of a walker lurking not too far up the tunnel, or around the abandoned trains left behind on the tracks, their destinations never reached.

The flashlight flickered ever so slightly, the batteries he'd been saving drained to their last dregs. It wasn't like he could just turn it off; the tunnels received no natural light, which would leave them in a darkness so pure you couldn't see your hands right in front of your face, let alone a walker. _Thank Christ they're noisy, then._

His eyes trailed by a few degrees towards the woman he was helping along, his frown deepening as worry lined his face. The more she moved around on that gunshot wound, the more likely it was it'd open up again. And, this time, they don't have a doctor to help her. They're on their own, with nothing but the supplies on their backs, which wasn't much to begin with. No food, no medicine, only a few magazines worth of ammunition. If the worst occurred, this could very well be the end of them here. It didn't help that Dominic's stomach rumbled every five minutes or so, joined in by a duet from Clementine and Molly's own stomachs.

It was starting to look like they weren't going to make it, but he wasn't willing to give up just yet.

" _D - Do you hear that?_ " Clementine's voice forced Dominic to jerk his head in his direction, the sudden question, despite the softness of it, nearly sent him jumping out of his skin. Recollecting himself, he listened intently to the tunnel ahead, narrowing his eyes to see anything in the distance, but he couldn't make out anything beyond the parallel metal bars of the tracks running into infinity. Molly seemed to be just as concentrated, the woman's movements slowing to a crawl as her own eyes narrowed. Once it became clear that there was definitely _something_ in the distance, the metallic click of the pistol Dominic had given Clementine filled the air as she pulled down the hammer. Dominic handed the flashlight over to Molly before pulling out his machete. If that _noise_ turned out to be what he thought it was, he was going to need it.

" _Everyone keep quiet, see if you can pinpoint_ _ **where**_ _it's coming from. We might be getting close to another subway terminal,_ " Dominic's words were so quiet it was almost as if he never even said them, but the message seemed to be conveyed clear as day as both women nodded.

" _Better be a fucking exit_ ," Molly muttered under her breath, a slight hiss escaping her lips as her foot collided with the metal bar underneath her feet.

" _Should we turn off the flashlight, so they can't see us coming?_ " Clementine asked as she kept pace with Dominic and Molly, her golden eyes nearly glowing in the faint glow of the flashlight.

Dominic shook his head, dismissing that idea. " _Then we can't see them coming, it's too risky._ "

" _Oh._ "

" _It wasn't a bad idea, it's just… you know…_ " He stopped himself from continuing as they drew closer to the source of the noise, which slowly came into focus. It was definitely some sort of moan, like a walker just stumbling idly through an empty city, with no real purpose other than to find _something_ to eat. " _Shit… Clem, don't fire unless shit gets hairy, okay? Like I said before, that thing's suppressed, but it isn't exactly silent. Hang back with Molly, and cover me._ "

She nodded her head once, a quick indication that she understood what Dominic was telling her. He smiled before returning the nod. As they slowly approached the subway walker's location, it became apparently that the walker was, indeed, lurking in an abandoned subway station. The claustrophobic tunnel quickly opened up into the larger, cavernous room. They stopped about ten feet away from the opening, Dominic glancing towards Molly with furrowed brows.

" _Think you will be fine if Clem and I scout ahead?_ "

" _I'm shot in the leg, but I'm not_ _ **defenseless**_ _, you moron,_ " she replied through a half-grin, holding the flashlight in one hand before pulling Hilda out of its loop on her backpack, weighing it in her hand. " _Who knows, might be able to take out a few before you._ "

" _Don't get cocky now,_ " he deadpanned through a grin of his own, clearly amused by her behavior.

" _Hey, I'm not the one with-_ "

He seemed to ignore her as he turned towards Clementine, patting her on the shoulder. " _C'mon Clem, let's get going before 'Ms. I'm Not Defenseless' decides to do something stupid, like attack a bunch of walkers with a fucked up leg._ "

" _Not like you're going to get far without the flashlight._ "

Dominic let out a sigh before returning his gaze to the woman who said the sarcastic statement, rolling his eyes. " _Touché._ "

Silence, well, besides the growling echoing in the room ahead, filled the air as Dominic and Clementine trail ahead of Molly, who held back grunts as she was forced to follow them on her own. Not that she'd complain about it aloud, though, as that would only bolster Dominic's argument, and she wouldn't want that. She rolled her eyes at her own thought as she balanced herself, Hilda still clutched in her one hand while holding onto the flashlight.

Clementine held the suppressed pistol at chest height, her golden eyes examining the shadows surrounding them with a fearful gaze. Dominic's grip on his machete tightened with each step, hoping that whatever might've jumped out at them would appear in the cone of light first. As they crossed the threshold from the tunnel into the subway station, Dominic's eyes were immediately drawn towards a pedestrian tunnel to the right of the tracks, where splotches of light managed to find their way into the deep recesses of the underground tunnel.

Well, with the exit identified, it was time to figure out where this walker was hiding.

The growling grew louder and louder, echoing off the walls like some sort of undead sonar. His heart felt as if it was beating out of his chest, anxiety and fear pumping through his veins. It was close, he could _smell_ it. _Jesus, you never get used to the smell._ Molly swept the flashlight through the terminal slowly, making sure they didn't miss anything lurking in the recesses of the horror chamber. Clementine and Molly watched as Dominic pulled himself onto the raised deck, before turning around and helping the little girl up. Molly passed Clementine the flashlight before dropping Hilda to the tiled deck floor, stretching her hands out for Dominic to pull her up.

" _ **Jesus**_ _, you're heavy."_

She rolled her eyes at the boy's near-silent sarcastic remark. It wasn't even worth answering, at least, not worth words anyway. Once both of her feet were safely planted on the deck, she took a moment to flip him the bird, receiving a half-chuckle, half-grunt from the boy. The sound of something banging against metal had the moment cut short, as Molly quickly grabbed hold of Hilda and took the flashlight from Clementine. They swiveled towards the noise as if on a turret mount, an open door appearing in the cone of light in the tiled wall a couple dozen feet away from them. Dominic's eyes narrowed, his nose scrunching as he stepped forward, raising the machete higher.

" _Guess our dead buddy here decided to take a piss before kicking the bucket_ ," he deadpanned as he chanced a glance towards Molly, who snorted in response.

" _Just watch out. Might be more than one in there."_

The sarcastic tone that normally resided in her voice was now gone, leading Dominic to nod his head in her direction solemnly. Walkers were still a threat, they couldn't let their guard down. He pointed towards the open bathroom door, indicating for Molly to direct the flashlight through the gap, before he slowly stepped into the room, his shoes making a very slight squeak on the tiled floor. The walker had quieted down now, as if it's attention had been diverted to something else, something alive.

 _Stalls one and two… clear. Stall three… eugh, what the fuck is that?_

His eyes were riveted onto a grotesque pile of gore laying beside the toilet, what was once a body now nothing more than a rotting pile of flesh and meat. He held back the bile rising in his throat as he slowly closed the door, ridding himself of the sight, but unfortunately, not the smell. The walker was banging against something now, towards the end of the room, leading to a small smile to stretch across his face.

 _It's trapped._

He glanced back towards Clementine and Molly, the former's face twisted in a look of concern, which he tried to alleviate with a small smile. It only worked _slightly_ , as the girl kept her pistol raised, just in case anything leapt out at her friend.

Gulping down the lump forming in his throat, Dominic proceeded to the final stall, which was the only one that had been closed when he arrived. The banging emanated from the other side, the growling increasing in volume as the walker desperately tried to get at the free meal standing just on the other side of the door.

 _Here goes nothing._

He reached for the handle, pulling it open in a quick, jerking motion before kicking the undead thing back, knowing that it would try to lunge at him the instant he opened the door. It fell onto the toilet in a splayed fashion, struggling to lift itself back up as Dominic let out a grunt, bringing the machete down on its head. Its lifeless eyes grew even more lifeless as the blade began to split his head in two, stopping a few inches into its cranium. With a heavy breath, Dominic placed a foot against the walker's chest, pulling on the blade until it came free with a _squelch_. The two women behind him watched with sighs of relief. It was only one walker. It could've been so much worse.

Dominic let out a sigh as he searched the body, his eyes trailing towards his two companions as they joined him in the room. "Asshole must've died early on. Got nothing on him except a wallet and a pack of gum."

"Should get moving then," Molly replied, turning her head towards the tunnel, before returning to Dominic. "No telling if that herd followed us down here or not."

"Yeah, good point," Dominic sighed, cleaning off his blade on the walker's shirt. "Let's get to the surface, find our bearings, and figure out where Steve and Chloe ended up."

The two girls nodded in agreement, each worried about their new friends as well.

"Hopefully Steve hasn't gotten both of them killed," he finally deadpanned as he stepped out of the bathroom and into the subway terminal. _Knowing him, he would._

They ascended the steps two at a time, the young girl holding onto Dominic's free hand as the sunlight began to wash over them. Just a few more steps to freedom. They stopped at the ticket booth, listening intently for any sign of activity on the surface. So far, they heard nothing. _Good._

"I've never been so happy to see sunlight," Molly breathed, smiling as they passed through the ticket booth and into the room beyond. Dominic smiled, sharing the sentiment wholeheartedly. Hopefully, this was the last time he'd ever go into a subway tunnel again.

Bodies littered the tiled floor, none of them moving thankfully. His eyes narrowed at the sight, machete clutched tightly in his hand. With a heavy breath, he glanced towards Molly. "How about you go check out the street? See if it's clear. I'm gonna make sure these things are _dead_ , and search for anything useful."

"What about Clem?" Molly asked, raising an eyebrow. She obviously didn't like the idea of leaving the little girl down here, where it wasn't safe. Dominic sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her. Hell, she'll probably be taking care of _me._ "

"Doesn't make me feel any better," she replied in an unamused tone. Dominic laughed, smiling up at her as he checked the nearest body, pulling out his knife to stab in its forehead before proceeding to search it.

"We'll be fine. Just go."

She let out a sigh, nodding her head. He watched her tip-toe across the room before disappearing up the stairs, limping the whole way there. He felt better having her not there. At least Clementine and him could run if there was any danger, she couldn't. As he moved on to the next body, he glanced towards the little girl.

"How are you feeling, Clem?"

"I'm worried about Chloe and Steve," she admitted in a small voice, still clutching the pistol tightly in her hand, as if a walker would pop out of nowhere and attack them. Dominic nodded his head, patting her shoulder softly.

"Yeah, me too. I'm sure they're fine. We'll find them soon, and get out of the city. How's that sound?" She smiled at the thought of leaving, the events of the day taking its toll even on her. It was a bad idea, he saw that now. He couldn't expect the city to be fine, after only a year and a half had gone by. That was _his_ mistake, and only _he_ could fix it. He let out an awkward cough before glancing up at the little girl, a small smile on his face. "So, uh, I was thinkin'... maybe, after we escape, we can start looking for Lee and the others again."

Her face lit up, the bright smile on her face reminiscent of a kid being told by her parents that she would be getting a pony for her birthday. It brought a smile to his face, wide enough for her to notice.

"I saw another vision," he explained, his eyes returning to the body as he continued. "Back in Zone Two. I had found your old radio by some train tracks, had the stickers and everything on it. And... I was thinkin'... that only one group can have that radio."

Her smile grew wider, before she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him in a hug. His own smile matched hers, as he let the knife drop to the floor and hugged her back. They both needed to find Lee again. Clem, for having her father figure back in her life, and for Dominic… just to… make it up to Clementine, after all this time dragging her around Georgia, looking for a way to Shangri-la. If Lee was out there, they were going to find him. That, he promised.

After a couple of seconds had gone by, Dominic pulled away, letting out a small laugh. "C'mon, kiddo. Let's get going, before Molly starts thinking we got eaten."

She let out a giggle, holstering her pistol as she did so. "Okay."

He grabbed a hold of her hand before leading her towards the stairs in the distance, his eyes focused on the bodies they were passing by, just in case one wasn't as dead as they seemed. Luckily, whatever happened here, seemed to have gotten all of them. _Probably a massacre, knowing the military._ He shook the morbid thought away. Best not to dwell on that.

They ascended the steps together, Dominic smiling as the sunlight bathed them in its warm glow. As they reached the final steps, a yelp reached their ears, Dominic's head swiveling towards the source of the voice to see a black car in the road behind them, its wheels spinning and kicking up broken pieces of asphalt as it tore down the road. Molly was nowhere in sight.

 _No no no no no no!_

He let go of Clementine's hand, sprinting into the road. He wanted to pull out his gun and fire at the car, but he couldn't risk shooting Molly. Instead, he was forced to watch as it sped out of sight. The last thing he noticed before it turned the corner was a single decal on the back window.

A white cross.

* * *

Steve's lungs were on fire, the mile-long sprint having the organs damn near bursting as he rapidly breathed in and out. His body screamed at him to stop, to keel over and take deep breaths, but he couldn't. He could still see the massive horde of zombies behind him, following them along the street that led into what Steve could only infer was a university. _Great, another Uni, just what I fucking needed._ Chloe kept pace next to him, throwing short glances behind them as they reached a clearing, in between two large buildings within the university grounds. A large, green field spanned the length of the clearing, even more dead filling the pathways to their left.

"Jesus Christ, how many of them are there?!" Chloe hissed as they continued their sprint, away from the two herds approaching them. Her nose had lost its sensitivity to the wretched smell long ago, even though each breath brought a wave of nausea she had to fight off. Steve wasn't too far off from her, gagging every few seconds as the smell overtook him. It was becoming unbearable, growing in strength with each passing second.

"Keep going! _Fuckin' hell_ , I'm gonna kill Dominic next time I see him! Fuckin' stupid plan!" Steve spat out as they sprinted across the length of the clearing, approaching the next street over.

"Yeah, you and me both!"

In the distance, he could just about make out what appeared to be a highway, slowly raising above the ground. He picked up the pace, formulating a plan in his nerve-wracked mind. If they could get there, they could lose the herd on the other side of the highway. The dead idiots can't climb, but _they_ sure could. It was their best shot, and, who knows, they just might find a working vehicle along the way.

The undead fucks were closing in on both sides, surprisingly keeping up pace despite their slow, stumbling steps. _It's not that they're keeping up, it's that there's so_ _ **goddamned**_ _many of them._ Steve shook the thought away. Best not to dwell on _that_ part. They were only a few more seconds away from the opening, leading towards the highway. His breathing was in percussive gasps, his chest rising and falling with each one. They make it to that highway, and they were home free.

" _Fuck!_ " The curse was accompanied with a hard _smack_ sound as Steve turned back towards the source of the voice, Chloe having tripped and fallen onto the brick pathway beneath them, holding a hand against her knee as she tried to pick herself up.

Steve shook his head, his gaze going between the woman and the herd in quick intervals. "C'mon!"

"Gimme a second, asshole!" She shot back, trying to push herself to her feet, before letting out a gasp of pain. " _ **Fuck!**_ Just… help me up!"

Steve let out a frustrated sigh. The zombies were getting closer now, if he couldn't get her up, he'd have to leave her. With a sigh, he closed the distance between them, yanking her up with both hands as he dropped his shotgun to the ground. He glanced at her knee for a brief second. It didn't look _bad_ , at least, just scraped up.

"You alright?" He asked, returning his attention to her as she pushed away from him, dusting herself off.

"Yeah, I'm fine. C'mon," she breathed, not even bothering to glance back at the advancing herd behind them, before half-running, half-limping, towards the highway.

All he could do was roll his eyes, bending down to pick up his shotgun before chasing after her. As they pushed onward, he studied the street ahead. Two cars were parked on either side of the opening, torn apart, by scavengers most likely. Several dumpsters line the road along the raising road. _Good, something we can jump onto. Maybe we could reach the highway from there. Worth a shot, anyway._

 _Until Chloe's leg gets in the way._

He shook the thought away. She was fine, they'd both make it. If anything, he could climb up there, and help her up. It was the least he could do. After all, last thing he wanted was to end up _alone_ in a city like this.

Chloe was several feet ahead of him, now, keeping pace despite the pain she must be enduring from her scraped knee. Her eyes were riveted towards the skyline, the massive towers coming into view as the road began to curve to the right. Steve looked behind them, the zombies were far enough away now. They were in the clear to do this shit.

"Alright, I - I'll get you up there. Just jump the gap, and wait for me, we'll climb over together," Steve explained as they approached the nearest dumpster, the top of the thing just a few inches below the road above. It was an easy jump, and you had the barrier to hold onto if you lost your balance. Chloe nodded in response, reaching out to grab onto the dumpster before Steve dropped his shotgun to the floor, lifting her up. She clambered on top of the dumpster, taking a moment to catch her breath before reaching out a hand to help him. Before he could grab onto it, a growl pierced the air, the owner jumping out at Steve from behind the dumpster. The man let out a yelp, falling backward onto the asphalt as Chloe scrambled to stand up, yelling out his name.

He kicked outward, pushing the zombie away, just enough to buy him some time to crawl backward, but not enough to escape. It stumbled towards him with its mouth open, rotten teeth and coagulated blood meeting his gaze. He didn't have time for this. He had to get up there to be safe from the herd. He could hear Chloe calling his name, before the sound of a gun cocking reached his ears. He pushed himself against the ground, hoping that if she was going to shoot the damned thing, she wouldn't hit him in the process. Two cracks pierce the air, blood spurting out of its chest and head as the bullets burrow through it milliseconds apart. It fell forward, right onto him. He struggled to lift the zombie off, cursing under his breath as he managed to get back onto his feet.

"That… was too fucking close," he breathed, bending over to catch his breath before stumbling towards the dumpster.

"You're welcome," she deadpanned, holstering her pistol before reaching her hand out for him. He snatched up the shotgun before tossing it on top of the dumpster. He definitely wasn't going to leave that behind. With a sigh, he grabbed her hand, the woman struggling to pull him up as he latched his other hand onto the dumpster. Once he was up, they took a moment to catch their breath, Steve's eyes transfixed on the sight of the undead approaching in the distance, still far enough away that they could take this moment to breathe.

"Thanks," he finally said, between breaths. "I owe you one."

"We'll start an I.O.U. tally, o - or something. Later…"

"Don't push it," he deadpanned, turning back towards the highway. Without skipping a beat, he jumped the gap, grabbing a hold of the concrete barrier to prevent himself from falling back down before clambering over it. Chloe followed suite, joining him on the road above. The zombies below continued to march towards them, their growls filling the air like the sound of a crowd at a concert. Booming, agonizingly so.

He examined the highway, looking for any more threats that could be lurking on the road, but found nothing more than abandoned cars and burnt carcasses. _The napalm did a number on the city, that's for damn sure._

"Alright, let's keep moving. We'll lose them on the other side, hopefully."

" _Hopefully_ ," Chloe emphasized, her hands shaking slightly as she fought to calm herself. Steve didn't blame her. They just outran thousands of the dead. That wasn't something you do every day. Steve let out a breathy laugh. They made it. After all that shit, they actually fucking made it. He held out his hand to Chloe, palm wide. She finished the high five, laughing along with him.

"Guess we're ready for a marathon," Steve joked between laughter, finally catching his breath as they stumbled forward, into the inner lanes of the highway.

Before they could get too far, the sound of screeching tires filled the air, causing both of them to dodge instinctively out of the way. As they braced themselves against one of the abandoned vehicles, they stared at the car that stopped in the middle of the street. Another mini-van, tinted brown, with splotches of red, _blood_ , along the sides of the car and on the hood. Before they could move, or try to escape, the occupants of the car exited the vehicle, a few of them brandishing guns. He counted four of them, two women, and two men.

Their clothes were ragged, as if they've been through hell and back. The man that had been driving the car wore a torn up blue button-up shirt, his hand hovering over a pistol in his pocket. The woman from the passenger seat had her gun out, instead, as if expecting trouble out of the two they just ran into. The other woman shared this stance, while the final man didn't seem to be armed at all.

Steve raised his hands into the air, trying to show himself to not be a threat. The last thing he wanted was a bullet in the head, and it seemed Chloe felt the same way. What idiot wouldn't?

"Whoa, hey! Hi there, uh, sorry, we didn't know anyone was coming down the highway," Steve said in a casual tone, trying to keep his nerves despite the feeling of anxiety rising through his body. The driver, who seemed to be the leader, glanced towards them for a half-second before looking towards the way they came, the growls of the undead still filling the air. He returned his attention to Steve, who gulped down the lump forming in his throat.

"You two friendly? Or should we keep drivin'?" The driver spoke in a smooth, baritone voice.

"Uh, yep! Friendly! Friendly as can be! Just ask Chloe here," Steve replied in a chipper tone, which obviously didn't help their case. He couldn't help that he was feeling nervous. Four strangers roll up on you with weapons out, you can't expect them to be friendly, too.

Chloe rolled her eyes before nodding her head, affirming what Steve said. "We're good people, just… got cornered by the dead."

"I see that," the man replied in an even tone, glancing between the two women accompanying him before landing on the shorter man on his other flank. He let out a sigh before returning his attention to Steve and Chloe. "Listen, it ain't safe here. We're on our way out of the city. If you're as friendly as you say, you're more than welcome to join us. We're not bandits, and we won't harm you, as long as you don't have any intention to harm us."

Steve immediately shook his head, "Nope. Don't gotta worry about us, we don't want to hurt-"

"But," Chloe opened her mouth, interrupting Steve's reply. "We got friends in the city. We got separated by that herd. We can't leave without them."

The woman next to the driver glanced between them and the older man, shaking her head. "It's not worth the risk. We don't know who they're with, they could be trouble."

"Well, what if it was one of us out there?" The shorter man asked, crossing his arms against his chest. " _We_ wouldn't leave one of us behind. Same should go for these guys."

"Honey, it's just not possible," the other woman replied to the shorter man, sighing. "They could be anywhere in the city. Walkers are all over, we just can't risk it."

The driver sighed, "No, he's right. We gotta help," he turned towards Steve. "Listen, we'll help you find your friends, but we can't stay here too long. Sooner we get out of the city, the better. You have any idea where they could've ended up?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. Last I saw, they headed into the subway, back at the Atlantic Station. No telling where they ended up after that."

The driver glanced at the woman from the passenger seat, who shook her head slightly. He let out a sigh, before looking back at the duo. "We'll see where they could've ended up. For now, we gotta get off this road." He reached out a hand towards the Brit, which Steve cautiously accepted in the form of a handshake. "Name's Lee. This over here is Carley, Christa, and Omid." He shook his head in the direction of his companions.

Steve smiled. "Steve, and this is Chloe. Thanks for, you know, not shooting us."

Lee let out a short laugh, smiling. "No problem. C'mon, let's get goin'."

Steve exchanged glances with Chloe. They've found help. They weren't alone. Maybe things would turn out okay, after all.

"Alright then, lead the way," Steve finally replied, following the older man to the van.


	37. The Way Forward

**Author's Note: Once again, I have to apologize for my lack of updating recently. Time isn't exactly on my side in recent months, and writers' block has been hitting me over the head with a shovel. Must be the spirit of Chuck, haunting me for killing him off back in Season 1. _Seriously, I'm sorry Chuck, you were a bro, and I wish I could go back and save you, but alas, here we are, now stop smashing my head in._**

 **It's a pretty short chapter this time around, most of what I had planned for this chapter's been postponed to the next, since I felt where this chapter ends was good enough to have a split. I promise, _eventually_ the word length per chapter is gonna get back up to normal, but this transition period after the retcon has proven to be difficult as fuck for me xD**

 **One last thing, for those of you that want to join a pretty dank Discord community to talk about The Walking Dead, or anything in general, then boy, do I have the perfect one for you! Run by BHBrowne, TheBigBadWolf1, and yours truly, it's the best place to get into contact with me or any of the gang, or just shoot the shit for hours, if that's your style. Certainly is ours xD Anyway, just restructure this link like a lego set, and you'll be sent directly to our humble abode:** **discord . gg /BvTp8nY**

* * *

 **Living In A World Of Fiction  
Season 2 - Episode 5: The Hunter**

 **Chapter 37: The Way** **Forward**

* * *

How could everything fall apart so fast? They had escaped the herd scot-free, and made it through the expanse of subway tunnels underneath the city. They barely escaped with their lives, and for what?

For Dominic to fail. Again. He was starting to get good at it now, like it had become his curse. _No_ , _that's a bit too much._ But, the point still stood. He let Molly get taken; _he_ was the one that let his guard down, and now she had to pay the price.

He could hear himself starting to hyperventilate, his hands finding the back of his head as he paced back and forth in the now-silent street. Thoughts flew through his mind at light-speed, each more incoherent than the last. Only bits and pieces made sense to him, something about him being an _absolute fucking idiot_ , and others _trying_ to trace out where that car would've ended up, but his knowledge of the city prevented that train of thought going any further. He could find only a single shred of hope while sifting through the despair: the white cross on the back of the car, something about it was familiar, like a sense of deja vu. He'd seen it before, somewhere, but couldn't quite place it, like a word resting on the tip of his tongue, so close, yet so far.

He could barely hear Clementine's worried yelps from behind him, not until her hands were shaking him, as if trying to shake the string of thoughts out of his mind. It worked, if only slightly. His eyes focused on the little girl's face, the first thing they've focused on since the car disappeared around the corner. His body screamed at him to run after them, but that wouldn't accomplish anything. There was no way he'd keep up with a car, city or not; especially not in the apocalypse. She was gone. End of story.

That didn't stop Clementine from punching him in the leg, trying to pull him out of the reverie he'd found himself trapped in. It didn't hurt, _thankfully_ , but it was enough for him to wince audibly.

"Ow, Clem, c'mon!" He hissed out, barely aware of his hand reaching out and stopping another punch from the little girl short.

"W - We have to go after her!"

He almost envied her spirit. Such a drastic change from the meek little girl he met a year and a half ago. He wanted to say that they would, and start running after the car, but… he couldn't. What could they do? A boy, barely older than a teenager, and a little kid, alone in a shithole like this? Even if there _were_ tire tracks to follow, the assholes who took her - _took Molly_ \- would outnumber, and outgun them. He didn't want to say it, but he had a gut feeling that this wasn't a fight they could win. She seemed to notice his hesitance, her demeanor changing as her eyebrows raised in fear, or was it disappointment? He couldn't tell. She took a single step back, enough for Dominic to feel as if she had moved to the other side of the street. His hands were shaking, his breathing matching in rhythm. He had to say something, something to calm her down - or calm _him_ down - but nothing came. He wasn't the man with all the answers. He never was. He averted his gaze from the girl, biting his lip as he forced himself to think, to come up with _something_ to say, before he finally managed to string together something coherent. _A white lie_ , _great_.

"Clem, there's nothing we can do right now! We need to get off the street, find somewhere safe, alright? Soon as we do that, we can start lookin' for her. W - We'll find a trail, or something… we'll find her, alright? I promise." At this point, he was on one knee, his right hand on her shoulder as their eyes locked, hoping to whatever divine entity out there that he was coming off as sincere. He _wanted_ to be. He wanted to be able to hold onto that promise, that they'd find her, but… like it or not, his priority was keeping Clementine safe, at all cost, even if that meant abandoning the woman he-

Abandoning a _friend_.

Clementine's eyes darted away from his, looking at some mundane object past him, just so she wouldn't need to look him in the eye. He could tell that she didn't believe him. Hell, _he_ wouldn't believe himself, so he didn't blame her. He squeezed her shoulder softly, his tone a bit sterner, although the shakiness hardly made it convincing.

"Listen, we gotta get out of here. That herd can't be too far, and Steve and Chloe might be close too. We gotta get somewhere safe, somewhere high up, then we radio for them. We still got the radios, right? You packed them when we left UGA?" She nodded quickly, her lip trembling as she tried to force herself to calm down. A genuine smile started to stretch across his lips as he patted her shoulder. "Good, good. C'mon, we can't spend too much time out here. We'll head down the street, see if we can't find us a secure building, then we radio for them, alright? Just stick close to me, okay? A - And if you see walkers, let me know."

He pushed himself to his feet, taking a moment to take in their surroundings, just to make sure they were alone. None of the bodies lining the street moved from where they laid, each one burned beyond recognition. He'd feel sick to his stomach if he had the time and energy to do so, but that was a luxury they couldn't afford. _Guess I'll just stick with not looking at them. Fine by me._

He slid his machete out of its sheath, the metal shining in the sunlight as they took a step forward, then another, and then another. He could hear Clementine fumbling with the holster for her gun, before he took a single glance down at her. Her lip still trembled, although much less violently this time. Determination lined her features; determination to find Molly, to find somewhere safe. It was enough to reassure _him_ that they were going to make it. If he became half as stubborn as this little girl, then maybe finding Molly wouldn't be a challenge.

All he had to do was keep moving forward, the rest would come later.

* * *

Downtown Atlanta loomed on the horizon as Dominic led Clementine through the streets. The closer they drew to the district, the more devastated the world became, making the warzone of corpses they saw back at the Atlantic Terminal seem tame. They've been lucky, so far; the perpetual groaning of the undead surrounded them, yet not a single walker appeared in the streets they traversed. He took it as a good omen, for what little time they had left to find shelter. The sun had already rose to its peak, sliding down the opposite side of the horizon at a slow pace. Soon enough, it would disappear completely. Time was limited, even more so during the middle of winter.

Neither of them wanted to talk, lest they attract the attention of the dead. Dominic could tell Clementine was scared, who wouldn't be? They were in the middle of the metaphorical hornet's nest, walkers on all sides, death around every corner. Fear was the driving force for their march through hell, fear that they would be found, by the living or the dead. A year ago, such fear would result in him breaking down, like he had once done back in Savannah, when he had considered leaving the group behind to save Clementine and Lee, and his panic attack at the mansion, when they unearthed the owner's dog for its radio-chipped collar. He couldn't let himself be like that again, not anymore, not without risking their lives. He didn't bring them this far just to get them killed.

Luckily, though, their march was about to come to an end. A large, red brick building appeared to their left as they turned onto another street, seemingly in good condition, despite the bombing of the city. _There, that's where we'll set up camp._ He grabbed Clementine's hand before sprinting for the building, machete already in his free hand, just in case walkers appeared from the nearby alleyways and parking lots surrounding them. Clementine seemed to have difficulty keeping up, but didn't complain aloud. Neither of them wanted to be out here for longer than they had to be, and if they could get inside without being seen by anything, then they would truly be safe, at least for a little while.

Dominic slowed down, his eyes cautiously examining the open carpark that spanned the first two floors of the building. Guttural growls echoed off the walls within. _Let's just hope there's none_ _ **inside**_ _,_ _then._ He peered through the glass surrounding the entrance, wiping away the dirt and grime shrouding the interior with the sleeve of his jacket. No movement in reception, at least. He glanced towards the little girl beside him.

"Keep your eyes open, and watch the street."

"Okay," she replied in a whisper, her eyes quickly darting between Dominic and the street behind them. He pulled on the door, sighing with relief as it slowly moved along its hinges. At least one thing was going right. The interior remained deathly silent, Dominic's slow breaths echoing slightly in the confined space just within.

"Alright, looks clear." His gaze returned to Clementine, who fidgeted with tiny movements. The anxiety shared between the two was nearly palpable in the air. Wasn't every day they had a brush with death, not on this scale, anyway. "Get inside, I'll be right behind you," he finished in a whisper.

The girl nodded quickly, keeping her pistol raised as she took a step inside, then another. Dominic followed closely behind, letting the door swing closed with a soft _creak_. The change in lighting made the room feel darker than it actually was, their eyes having a hard time adjusting quickly enough. Dominic held the little girl's hand, as if the gesture would make sure she wouldn't get separated from him in here. All they had to do was find somewhere secure inside, and they could ride out the night here. They just had to find it.

As they drew deeper into the building, shards of glass crunched beneath their feet, leading to Dominic wincing with every step. Paintings toppled during the bombings littered the hallway ahead, their glass covers shattered and covering every inch of the floor.

"Watch your step," he called out to Clementine, who quickly replied with a hushed 'yeah'. He stopped next to the nearest door, squinting to read the words written on a label above it. _Stairwell_. Keeping his machete in hand, he reached out for the door handle, pulling it back. Glass crunched as it swung open, catching the shards and dragging them with it. Light filtered into the stairwell from a small window in the middle of the wall, dried blood catching his eye as the sunlight reflected off of it. It covered the walls and floor like a layer of dried paint, the owner of said blood nowhere to be seen. _Probably roaming around, somewhere_.

His eyes trailed towards the next floor up as they ascended the steps. So far, no sign of any walkers. _Good._ The exit leading into the second floor was left ajar, a tiny sliver of sunlight filtering into the stairwell. Dominic pushed it open with his free hand, his eyes instantly examining the hallway beyond like a sniper homing in on his target. Nothing.

He took a single step into the hallway, then another, then another, each step sounding ten times louder in the cramped space. Most of the apartment doors were closed on this floor, the sounds of growling barely audible within some of them. Towards the middle of the hallway, a door was left open, revealing what used to be _someone's_ home. Someone who was probably dead by now. He quietly knocked on the open door, using the noise as a means to draw out any walkers possibly hiding inside. For a moment, nothing answered his knock, until the faint sound of strangled growling emanated from somewhere within. His gaze fell to Clementine, the little girl nodding her understanding to the silent message he was sending her way.

 _Wait here._

Sweat was pooling around the hand he was holding the machete with; as many times as he's done this, the _not knowing where they are_ part still forced his heart to beat at an irregular pace. He followed the noise deeper into the apartment, keeping his eyes peeled for anything lurking in the long shadows filling the rooms. His eyes locked onto a closed door at the end of a small hallway, the growling coming directly on the other side of the door.

 _It's fine, it's probably trapped. Don't worry. Just… kill it._ He let out a heavy breath before reaching for the doorknob, slowly twisting it. The door creaked open, forcing a silent curse to escape his lips as it echoed through the hallway. The lucky walker grew more agitated by the sound. Another sound, almost foreign, reached Dominic's ears between the growls; something was creaking, the sound bristling every hair on his body.

 _Oh, God._

Everything seemed to hit him at once: the _putrid_ stench; the increasingly agitated gurgles; the sight itself. What had once been a man, hanging by a rope tied around the shower head, the man having been short enough for his legs to dangle above the shower floor.

The sigh escaped Dominic's lips involuntarily, only partially because of the fact the walker couldn't get to him. Seeing someone strung up like that, it was enough to sap away the courage out of anyone, even if the participants involved were stupid enough to believe that it was their best way out. If they'd survived long enough to figure out that you turn no matter what, Dominic wouldn't have to be here, slamming his machete into their skull, before cutting them down. It was unnecessary, on all fronts. Enough for him to let out an aggravated grunt, leaving the deceased walker where it lied inside the shower walls. _Selfish bastard._

As much as it pained him to say it, if it wasn't for Lee, this probably would've been him, all those months ago. Too weak to defend himself, and too weak to try to carry on. Carley would've been shot by Lilly; Lee would've died in Savannah; Molly would've left the group and never came back; his presence had a lasting impact on everything that's happened, whether good or bad. A small part of him felt content, content in the fact that the road he was led down hadn't earned him the same fate.

He closed the door behind him as he returned to the hallway, already pushing the memory of what just occurred into the deeper recesses of his brain. It wasn't the best time to be melodramatic, he still needed to secure this place, and contact Steve and Chloe. Clementine was still standing near the entrance, only entering when Dominic waved her in, before closing the door behind her. Her eyes trailed after him as he slouched down onto a couch within the cramped living room, his breathing in rapid, ragged breaths, before he glanced towards her.

"Don't go in the bathroom." It came out in a deadpan tone, as if the fact that there was a once-hung walker lying in the other room was just another day at the office. Sometimes he wished that it wasn't. The little girl simply nodded her head, slowly walking across the room to join him on the couch. She pulled her legs close to her body, wrapping her arms around them. The action brought a small smile to Dominic's face, being reminded of the times she'd do that back at the Motor Inn; back during simpler times.

"What do we do now?" Her question hung in the air for a moment, the eldest of the two relaxing into the slightly uncomfortable couch. He reached out for the backpack he had set down just next to the coffee table in front of him, rummaging through it. After a few seconds, his hand reemerged with the black and grey radio he used to use to talk to Molly, back before they had arrived at UGA. It was only a few days ago, but it felt like years. He held the device in his hands, showing it to the little girl next to him.

"Time to see if they're listening," he finally replied, a small smile stretching across his lips as a glimmer of hope began to ease its way into the pit of his stomach.

 _Please be out there, please be listening._

He held down the transmit button, sending out what would undoubtedly be the first of many calls out to his lost friends.

* * *

"You sure about this?" Lee raised an eyebrow, glancing towards Steve as the younger man instantly nodded his head. His eyes were locked onto a van in the distance, right where they parked it earlier that day, next to the looted Publix. The doors remained ajar from the getaway, having not moved since. Good, that meant whoever had shot at them before hadn't looted the vehicle. Although, that meant that they weren't after supplies, so why did they shoot at them in the first place? Steve didn't _really_ want to dwell on the answer.

"We left a lot of shit in that van," Steve finally replied, glancing towards the older man next to him as they hid behind their own van. A half dozen walkers roamed the street ahead, having not followed the rest of the herd. Better to stay out of sight until the time is right, anyway. "Enough for _all_ of us."

"Six walkers ain't so bad," Lee muttered, nodding his head slowly.

"Six of them, five of us, should be a piece of cake," Chloe added, "and if we're gonna get that radio, this's the only way."

"Alright, so, what's the plan here?" Omid asked, holding his glock tightly in his right hand. Clearly the idea of rushing some of these fucks wasn't going over well with all of them, which Steve understood. It was a risk, but one they were going to have to take. It was their only shot at getting into contact with Dominic, Molly, and Clementine.

"Everyone stick together," Lee started, clearing his throat. It was becoming clear that the newcomers looked to Lee for leadership, along with the woman, Carley. Steve hardly knew them, but they _seemed_ trustworthy; if they tried something, he and Chloe could handle it. At least, he hoped. "Use your knives, we go in quiet. Shouldn't be too difficult to clear 'em out. Steve, Chloe, you take the two there on the left, Carley, Omid, Christa, and I will take the ones on the right. We'll meet up at the van. Everyone clear?"

Each member of the impromptu clearing squad nodded, pulling out their knives. Looking towards Chloe, Steve nodded at the open road, both of them beginning to run towards the walkers they've been assigned. Steve could just about make out the rest of the group moving in just on the edge of his peripheral vision, just before he reached the first walker. The slowly setting sun had sent long shadows over the road, only a few rays of light illuminating the far sidewalk and storefronts. The walker snarled towards him, its blackened teeth barely visible in the dim lighting.

" _Damn_ girl, you look like shit," Steve purred as he rushed towards it, using his leg to trip the undead whore, watching with a smirk as it faceplanted against the concrete. He placed his foot against the walker's back, bending down to stab his knife through the back of its skull. From beside him, he could see Chloe taking out her walker in a similar fashion, a small smirk on her face as her eyes met his. These fucks were getting what they deserved, after chasing them across the city. At last, it was their turn to take the fight to them.

With the walkers taken care of, the group reconvened at the van. Steve and Chloe immediately began searching the vehicle for the radio they came here for. Lee and the others watched the perimeter, knives sheathed and guns drawn. Everyone was on edge, the information about the gunshots from the last time they were here not helping in the slightest. Steve couldn't blame them, he'd put them in the crossfire by coming here, but it wasn't like they had any choice. If they were going to get in contact with their friends, they _needed_ to return here.

"Got it!" Chloe's voice rang out as she pulled the radio from a backpack left in the trunk of the van, holding it in the air for everyone to see. Steve let out a short sigh of relief. As much as he'd love to leave Dominic behind, having him around was still better than not, safer in numbers and all that.

"Alright, let's get some of these supplies loaded into our van," Lee added, lowering his pistol. Everyone nodded in agreement, the shorter man, Omid, running towards their van to bring it over to them. Chloe held the radio in her hands, flicking the 'on' switch upward. The radio roared to life, the sound of static filling the air for a couple of seconds. As Omid brought the van next to them, the rest of the group began piling the supplies into it, leaving Chloe and Steve to deal with the radio.

"You think Dom's got the radio turned on?" Chloe asked in a quiet tone, her gaze shifting to Steve as he leaned against the side of the van. He wasn't quite sure how to answer the question, it was certainly possible, but it depended on a large number of factors. He simply shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, guess there's only one way to find out," she finished.

Just as the statement left her mouth, the voice they were looking for answered them through the radio's tiny speaker. " _Come on, asshole, answer your fucking radio._ "

Steve stifled a laugh, Dominic's irate voice was clearly directed towards him. He extended his hand out for Chloe to give him the radio, before answering in a sarcastic tone. "You should really watch your tone when you're addressing me, fucktard."

There was a brief moment of silence, his friend clearly taken aback by Steve's sudden response. After a second of static, his voice responded. " _Were you listening that whole time?_ "

"No, just got the radio from the van," Steve shook his head, a pointless gesture, since Dominic couldn't even see him in the first place. "Where did you guys end up? We ran into some people with a van, they're helping us find you."

" _People? They're not... dodgy... are they?_ "

"What? You worried about me?" Steve shot back through a smirk.

" _Don't flatter yourself. Just... look out for each other._ " There was a brief period of silence from the other end, as Steve and Chloe glanced towards their newfound friends, still piling their supplies in the back of their van. If they _really_ wanted to, they could leave with all their shit, and they wouldn't be able to do a fucking thing about it. Chloe kept her gaze on them as Dominic's voice, more sullen than before, continued to filter through the small radio. " _Listen, Molly's been…_ _ **fuck**_ _, she's been taken._ "

 _Taken? The fuck?_ The sudden revelation had him at a loss for words, not quite sure how to respond. Molly had been one of the toughest shits he had met so far, the thought of her getting kidnapped was ridiculous. "Taken? What do you mean _taken_?" He knew exactly what Dominic meant, but he was hoping for _some_ sort of explanation.

" _When we got out of the subway tunnels, Molly went on ahead, by the time Clem and I joined her on the street, she had already been nabbed by these assholes. It was a black car, sedan I think, with a white cross on the back windshield. Y - You haven't seen anything like that, have you?_ " There was a hint of desperation in his voice, like he was grasping at straws. Steve shook his head, sighing.

"No, we've just made our way back to the van. Haven't seen shit besides hordes of zombies." He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to think of anything they could use to identify these assholes. Nothing came to mind. With a click of his tongue, he continued. "You're the 'expert' here, Dom, you've got any idea who these guys are?"

" _Something about them seemed familiar, yeah. Could be that they…_ " His voice trailed off, leading to Steve and Chloe to quickly share an uneasy glance. After a second, a short 'aha!' escaped the radio. " _There's a group, bunch of police officers or something, took up shelter in a hospital here in Atlanta. ...Grady Memorial, I think. They had cars with crosses on them._ "

"Wait, these cops are _kidnapping_ people? Doesn't that… go against their moral code, or something?" Chloe added with a slight frown, her right eyebrow raised. She'd had her experiences with corrupt cops in the past, but this was on a whole 'nother level.

" _They're corrupt as all hell, taking in people they think are injured in order to exploit them as slaves, more or less._ " Dominic let out a sigh. _"They're not exactly_ _ **upstanding**_ _citizens._ "

"Yeah, well, who is these days?" Steve deadpanned.

" _Touche. Anyway, Clem and I are a bit closer to Downtown now. Red building, seven stories, corner of…_ " His voice trailed off as he presumably checked outside whatever window was nearby. " _...West Peachtree Place and Williams Street Northwest. Jeez, can these names get any more confusing?_ " The rhetorical comment hung in the air as Chloe and Steve took in the names, trying to memorize them. " _Hopefully whoever you're with has some sort of familiarity with Atlanta. Once you're done there, just head up our way. Once we've met up, we'll talk about Molly._ "

"Alright, we'll meet you there. You better have some food ready for us by the time we arrive." The sarcastic comment elicited a snort from Dominic, Steve imagining him rolling his eyes.

" _We'll see. Keep in contact, Dom out._ "

With the final goodbye, Steve clipped the radio to his belt, and glanced towards the group behind them. They were just about finished with moving their supplies over to the van. _I'm surprised they even have enough room in there. They must've been running pretty low on shit._ Nodding towards Chloe, the duo approached the rest of the group, Lee stopping in place as he noticed them approaching.

"You find out where your friends are?" He asked casually, grunting as he set down another box of food into the back of their van. Steve nodded instantly, a sense of relief washing over him. Despite the fact Molly was _missing_ , at least he was able to get in contact with Dominic, and they've got a rough idea of where Molly could've ended up. Shit hit the fan when the walkers hit, and getting Molly back would be a pretty sizable bump in the road, but if everything goes smoothly, they could be on their way out of this fucking shithole by tomorrow evening.

"Some of them, yeah," Chloe replied to the man's question, a small frown etched across her lips. "One of them was taken, though. Any of you know where Grady Memorial Hospital is?"

Silence filled the air for a few seconds, probably due to the fact they were just informed someone in Steve's group had been kidnapped. It complicated things, and perhaps that was a touch more than these guys were looking for, in helping them out. Carley cleared her throat, being the first one to speak.

"Yeah, I know where it is. It's closer to Downtown. I - Is that where your friend was taken?"

"Don't know yet, it's just a theory, but Dom's pretty confident that it's the place," Steve muttered, shrugging his shoulders. "Apparently it's a group he knows about, so he's probably run into them before." If they were looking at him weird before, they certainly were now. Lee had an incredulous look on his face, as if Steve had said that snakes were coming out of his ears, and the rest followed suite. He couldn't help but scrunch his nose. "What?"

Lee instantly reached out his hand towards him, as if expecting Steve to place something into it. His voice was a bit higher now, but the incredulity that lined his face matched perfectly in his voice. "G - Gimme your radio, real quick."


End file.
